


The wrong definition of 'fling'

by Storybelle



Series: Anarchy Verse [1]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Cas fancies Dean, Chocolate fountains, Dean fancies Cas, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, No I'm serious it's so fluffy, Poor dead Jess, Ruby is a bitch, Sabotage, There will be destiel, Weddings, but there's tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-11
Updated: 2015-08-01
Packaged: 2017-12-11 14:13:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 23,233
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/799626
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Storybelle/pseuds/Storybelle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Things not to have a wedding:<br/>Sam's psycho ex-girlfriend.<br/>Sam's one night fling<br/>Sam's over enthusiastic receptionist (why is it Sam knows all the crazy people?)<br/>Two best men who don't get along (at least, Sam thinks that's what that tension is)<br/>A chocolate fountain (because a hyper Gabriel is not something Sam wants on his wedding night)</p>
<p>But weddings never run smooth. All Sam wants is to get hitched: but he's going to have to catch a saboteur, separate his brother and the holy tax accountant and drag Gabriel's boss away from the whiskey first.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The engagement

When Sam Winchester got engaged, he was a coward about it and left his brother a voicemail.

“Sam!” Dean bellowed down the line. “What the hell are you doing with that deranged shortie? You swore to me over a year ago it was just sex! ‘A fling’ you said, just some fun, you said. Now you want to marry him? You do realise that means you’ll be stuck with him for the rest of your life? What’s the matter with you? Do you not remember the time he replaced the contents of my underwear drawer with a bunch of man thongs? Jesus, Sam…” A hand reaches out and cuts the voice off, mid rant.

“I think I made the right decision, telling him over the answerphone,” Sam comments lazily. The warm body next to his stirs and drapes a hand over his hip.

“Just a fling, huh?” Gabriel asks, eyes bright. “So all you wanted me for was my body, hey, Sammy?” Sam grinned and put his hand over his lover’s – no, fiancé’s.

“Maybe,” he hums, dropping his head to nuzzle affectionately at Gabriel’s golden brown hair. Gabe’s body is warm and pliant next to his and Sam notices for the hundredth time how well their bodies slot together. He’s overjoyed by the fact that they can wake up together like this for the rest of their lives.

“You got gypped,” Gabriel says. “The word ‘fling’ denotes a brief period of indulging one’s impulses, brief sexual or romantic encounter. Key word being ‘brief.’ Not nearly two years, Sammy.”

“Things changed. I picked the wrong person to have a fling with,” Sam yawns suddenly. Getting engaged really wears you out, apparently. Could also be the three very enthusiastic rounds of sex they had last night to celebrate said engagement.

“’Cause I’m so not a fling-y type of person?” Gabriel inquires, eyebrows waggling suggestively. Sam snorts. If there was ever a person to briefly indulge whatever mad impulses he had, it was Gabriel.

“No. Because I fell in love with you.” And it’s true. The attraction had been instant, as had the connection, which had only grown the more time they spent together. And by the time Sam had realized it had never really been a fling, they were in a proper relationship and Gabe kept a toothbrush and a drawer in his apartment.

“You cocked up,” Gabriel says fondly. “But you’re not a very fling-y sort of person, Sam.”

“Really not,” Sam says proudly and he means it. Dean might be but he’s always been a one and only kind of guy: even if after his high school girlfriend was killed in a freak accident, he thought he’d never find someone else he loved that much again. 

“Jess would be proud of you,” Gabriel says softly, twisting his head to look Sam in the eye. Sam can’t help feel pain of her memory and the rush of love for both of them. Most people wouldn’t be able to deal with what Gabriel has had to: but nonetheless Gabe has accompanied Sam to the graveyard on the first Sunday of every month for the entirety of their relationship. He knows that it’s just something Sam has to do. He’s fully confident he has Sam’s love and devotion, even if a little part of Sam – the part that’s still a smitten, love-struck teenager – needs to keep Jess close by. 

“I hope so,” Sam tilts Gabe’s chin up to kiss him, and Gabriel goes willingly, even though this angle must be uncomfortable. They kiss for a while, languidly, lazily, content. The outside world doesn’t exist, although soon they’ll have to get up and start telling people of their engagement. Sam hadn’t been able to wait to tell Dean and had rung him almost the moment Gabriel had said yes. It had gone through to answerphone and Sam had dithered about what to do.

Then he’d wussed out and left a message.

“Who should we ring first?” Gabriel muses, tucking his head under Sam’s chin.

“You haven’t rung your brothers, have you?” Sam asks, and thinks that as he told Dean mere minutes after they got engaged, it’s only fair they tell Gabriel’s two younger brothers next. Then parents, friends, other family members…his mother will probably want to put out an announcement, God forbid. They don’t have a photo of them together where Gabriel isn’t blinking, yawning or pulling a funny face.

“I love my brothers but I don’t feel compelled to share my every little move with them,” Gabriel yawns, hot breath against Sam’s nipple, making him shiver, but not enough to distract him from the jibe.

“Our engagement is not every ‘tiny little move.’” Sam reprimands. “Ring them. Then our parents. Bobby and Ellen and oh, Jo might not be awake just yet but…” Sam finds himself cut off by Gabriel’s mouth and a loving hand winding its way into his hair.

“It’s too early for that,” Gabriel murmurs. “Stop thinking. Hush.”

So Sam does.

*******

Sam had truly not meant to fall in love. Anything other than all consuming, breathless, can’t live without love would seem like an insult to Jess somehow, and anyway, Sam had just gotten out of a relationship with a woman who had made him very determined to not love anything ever again. Not that he’d loved Ruby, of course, but her actions had made him think that falling in love was something that was just not worth the pain.

“She’s a bloodsucker,” Dean had said ruthlessly, as he’d never liked Ruby anyway. “You’re too good for her and I knew that from the start. Come get pissed with me. Open bar.”

And that had been that. Several hours later, he’d set eyes on Dean’s laid back, sarcastic, brilliant co-worker and he’d never looked back.

Dean hated that he’d been the one to introduce them. He liked Gabriel well enough as a colleague but not as someone who kept violating his little brother at every opportunity. And played horrible – if extremely funny – pranks on him every chance he got, now that Gabriel had access to Dean’s flat and personal belongings.

But otherwise, everyone was thrilled with their engagement. His mother had - as he’d suspected – been overjoyed. She and Gabriel had a bizarrely close relationship, partly founded on the fact that she’d had to put Sam back together after Jess had died. John had accepted it easily enough, even looked a little pleased at the thought of his son getting married. All in all, the entire family responded with delight and queries and suggestions. Even Dean was dragged round to the idea, slightly grumpy, but when they were alone he raised his beer and toasted Sam’s ‘apple pie life’

And no, Sam did not tear up.

*******

“Chocolate fountain?”

“No, Gabriel. Not at a wedding reception.”

“I think it’s a good idea! Look at this!”

“Who sent you that website? I’m going to kill whoever suggested that to you!”

“The groomsmen can wear Quidditch robes!”

“No!!”

*******

“Why did I have to come?” Sam bitches, as they’re seated at a table in some hole-in-the-wall café.

“Apparently, they’ve got some new cheesecake to die for. Crowley was pretty insistent in me getting a review written for this place.” Gabriel says, already sniffing the air like the gourmand he is. “And you know I hate eating alone.”

“It’s a wonder you’re not shaped like a bullfrog,” Sam says fondly. Gabriel puffs out his cheeks in mock rage.

“I know that during our relationship, sometimes I’ve been a little well covered. But I’m fairly confident that even if I can start hiding objects in my fat rolls, you’d still love me.”

“I love your pooch.”

“I have no pooch. I am perfectly well-proportioned right now. I’m getting in shape for the wedding.”

“Some people have a beer belly, you have a gateau belly,” Sam teases as the sullen teenage waitress deposits two menus on the tables and vanishes again. “And because you’re you, it’s only the finest, most upmarket gateau around using some expensive French chocolate.”

“I don’t have a pooch!”

“Well, you are older than me, it’s to be expected you might let yourself go a little…”

“Sam!!”

But that night, even though Sam had rolled up Gabe’s t-shirt and poked at Gabriel’s soft flesh, it didn’t stop him from kissing every inch of it.

*******

“Who’s your best man, Gabe?” Sam asks lazily, one afternoon a few weeks after they got engaged. They’re on the sofa in their house, watching one of Gabriel’s favourite reality shows. Gabe’s head is in Sam’s lap, having his hair stroked: but to be honest, Sam’s not sure who enjoys this more.

“Does that mean Dean is the maid of honour?” Gabe replies, without even taking his eyes off the television. Sam supresses a chuckle and then cards his fingers into Gabe’s golden hair.

“You know what I mean. And neither of us is the bride.”

“If one of us was going to be the bride it would be me. I don’t think anyone would believe you as the wife in this relationship, Sasquatch,” Gabriel says grumpily. Gabe would be perfectly normal sized next to anyone else but somehow, he ended up with Sam.

“Well, have you?” Sam presses. Gabriel shrugs with one shoulder.

“Hadn’t really thought about it. Maybe one of my brothers.”

“Well, if you pick one over the other, won’t they mind?” Sam asks worriedly.

“Not really. They’re not like that. Alfie might be a little too young to be a good best man though. And Cas is a little too stiff for the job. I don’t know. The wedding’s so far off. I’ve got time.”

Sam snorts. Gabriel says the exact same thing when he’s supposed to be working. The days tick by, filled with sex and eating and video games and not a word is typed.

“Yeah, yeah. Pick one soon, ok? We’re gonna have to delegate if we want this wedding to be ready on time.”

“I want to get married in September. It was this year or next year. I choose this year.” Gabriel stretches like a cat and adjusts himself on the sofa, wriggling onto his side more so he can see the TV better. “We’ll be ok.”

Sam just strokes Gabriel’s hair and smiles.

*******

“Gabe!” Sam gasps, unable to do anything more than say Gabriel’s name and tighten his fingers around his lover’s hips. But much to his satisfaction, Gabriel is falling apart at the seams too. Sam loves it when he looks like this, perched above Sam, hair slicked back with sweat, caramel eyes half closed, mouth open just enough to pant Sam’s name.

In response Gabriel only grinds his hips down on Sam’s dick again and captures his moan with a kiss.

“Come on, Sammy, I’m the one doing all the work here,” Gabriel says breathlessly, with a bright glint in his eyes. Sam scowls a little. Ok, so maybe not falling apart enough.

He hooks a hand underneath Gabriel’s leg and flips them both, pinning his boyfriend into the mattress without ever separating their bodies. Gabriel gives a half shriek as Sam slams back into him, hips snug against Gabriel’s ass. Sam grins smugly, shifting his weight appropriately and getting a good grip behind Gabriel’s knee and hitching it higher and wider apart.

“Still got the breath for snarky comments?” Sam snipes back, but in truth he doesn’t want Gabriel to stop. He loves Gabriel’s voice, how it could go from brash and teasing to soft and seductive the next. With Gabriel around, he didn’t have to worry about the quiet creeping back in again. 

“You love my snarky comments,” Gabriel groans, and Sam wonders if Gabriel can read his mind sometimes.

“God, stop thinking and fuck me.”

Yeah, definitely a mind reader.

*******

His receptionist hijacks him before he’s even set foot in the surgery.

“Sam!” Becky yelps. There’s a feverish glitter in her eyes and a red flush to her cheeks. She’s clutching a familiar looking white envelope in her hands, and thick white card with gold filigree…

Oh fuck.

“You’re getting married?” Becky squeals. “It’s so exciting! I’m absolutely coming! I don’t know if I’ll have a plus one. Maybe Chuck? Are you inviting Chuck anyway? Because I know he writes for your brother’s magazine. But if I invite him as a date, maybe that’s kind of like, suggesting that I’m open for a relationship? He seems like the type to be frightened by my vibrant sexuality. ”

“Becky,” Sam groans, cutting her off. That’s just too much information this early in the morning. “We’re due to open soon. Where’s Ava?”

“Not sure,” Becky replies with a frown. “I’m so glad you and Gabriel are getting married, finally! You’re perfect together. Not like that Ruby girl.” Her mouth twists into a frown. Sharp, cynical Ruby who had no time for other peoples’ feelings had always been cruel to sensitive, happy Becky. But Gabriel and Becky got on like a house on fire. Often when Sam was working late and Gabe came to pick him up he’d find the two of them behind the desk in reception, sharing toffees and gossiping. At the thought of Gabriel Sam smiles a little bit. He may try to hide it but Gabriel’s such a kind person.

“We are, aren’t we,” Sam says softly, Becky forgiven for her noisy chatter. He turns around and almost floats into his surgery where his nurse is waiting for him. But Ava is far too used to her love struck boss and threatens to stab him with the drill if he spends all day dreaming about Gabriel.

*******

“Why did you invite her?” Gabriel explodes and Sam winces at the sound. For such a small person, he can hold a lot of rage.

“Gabriel, she’s my friend,” he tries to rationally explain but he knows it’s no good. Gabriel is fiercely possessive.

“You slept together!” Gabriel seethes. He’s pacing back and forth in their kitchen, as Sam sits quietly at the table and watches. They’ve been going over the seating chart and Sam had finally had to break to Gabe about what he’d done, in a moment of nostalgia a month ago in the supermarket.

“Once!” Sam protests. “Years ago. We knew at the time we’d never be any good as a couple and that was that.”

“You don’t invite exes to weddings, Sam! You just don’t!” Gabriel stops in his manic pacing to run both hands back through his slick, golden hair. “God, do you know how that makes me feel?”

“No, it doesn’t. She’s not even really an ex and you like Madison…”

“Not at my wedding!” Gabriel yells, the sound echoing around the room and making Sam snap his mouth shut with a clack.

There’s silence. Gabriel is gripping the back of a chair so hard Sam wonders if it won’t just snap and splinter right there. Gabriel himself looks like he might snap, red in the face, panting and tense. Sam swallows – hard – and looks his lover straight in the eye.

“What’s going on, Gabe?” he says and Gabriel just deflates, right then and there. He unclenches his fingers from the chair back and wearily rubs his eyes, before slowly dragging them down his face. His fiancé looks tired and maybe the stress of the wedding is getting to them both. Sam forgets sometimes that Gabriel is seven years older than he is, although he never acts like it. It’s only times that this when he looks so bone-tired and washed out, that Sam remembers.

“It’s just...you’re mine,” Gabriel explains. “And I know it’s stupid but I like thinking you were only ever mine only. Not anyone else’s.” 

Sam blinks for a few seconds and then silently holds out both arms. Without even a moment of hesitation, Gabriel walks around the table and steps into them. Gabriel just collapses, because he knows Sam will hold him up. Sam carefully tugs Gabriel into his lap – which he knows the writer secretly loves but will never admit to – and strokes a stray lock of hair back behind Gabriel’s ear. Usually Gabe’s hair is only soft and free of products just after a shower, before bedtime, but Gabriel has been worrying his hair so much with his hands it’s starting to look dishevelled.

“You know, I think people will know that I wasn’t waiting in a tower, dressed all in white, for you,” Sam says and is a little gratified when Gabriel’s lips lift into the smallest of smiles. “But…I get it. I do. Sometimes I feel the same way. Like, I can’t bear the thought of others having touched you?” Gabriel lifts his head a fraction, from where he’s been resting it on Sam’s shoulder.

“Yeah. Just like that. And I know she’s your friend but…Sammy, what were you thinking?” Gabriel groans. Sam winces again, out of guilt. He doesn’t know what he’d been thinking. He hadn’t seen her for so long and in a rush of nostalgia invited her on impulse. He’d thought it would be ok: they’d had a drunken one night stand over seven years ago, and had been just friends since. But he can understand.

“I know. I know but when I asked her I was just thinking that she was my friend and I…God, I’m sorry,” Sam says in a rush. He feels Gabriel sliding his fingers up into his dark hair, carding them in deep and tangling them there. He can never bring himself to cut his hair because he knows how much Gabe loves doing that, trapping him, holding him close.

“I can un-invite her. If that’s what you want. She’ll understand,” Gabriel purses his lips together for a moment. He knows that if he wanted Sam would do just that. But it’s true he likes Madison: but his love of Sam makes him crazy sometimes. Makes him greedy. To be honest, he doesn’t even want to share Sam on their wedding day, with all those eyes looking at his gorgeous new husband in his tux. But he has to give a little. Sam is not his only. He wouldn’t love Sam as much as he does if their relationship was like that. He loves Sam because he loves so many people, has such a big heart. As long as he loves Gabriel the most though, that’s ok.

So after a moment, he shakes his head. “No, it’s ok. She can come. To the reception. She’s not coming anywhere near you before I get that ring on your finger.” Sam laughs, though Gabriel didn’t mean it as a joke, not really. But then Sam is leaning up and Gabriel bends down and their mouths meet in the middle. Gabriel enjoys this position for that very reason. Looking down at Sam from higher up is one of his favourite things: the way the light reflects off his hazel eyes, the fullness of his mouth, the way his hair spreads around his head like a halo. He may have the angel name but Sam’s the one made from starlight and harps and frothy cloud bits.

Sam digs his fingers into the flesh of Gabriel’s hip a bit. He knows full well that what will happen next is what always happens after they have a fight, and that this time is no different from the way Gabriel is licking into his mouth like a starved man. But when Gabriel starts pawing at his shirt, Sam shrugs him off a bit to cup his cheek and say something important.

“I love you,” and as always, Gabriel’s expression changes. Devoted and soft and maybe, just maybe, a little bit awestruck? But then the hunger is back and Gabe is sliding off his lap and tugging Sam with him by the belt loops. Sam more than goes willingly, finishing Gabriel’s work and tugging off his shirt as he goes, dropping in onto the table. 

“I know. Now take me to bed and prove it to me. Just no more exes, ok, Sammy?” Gabriel’s eyes are light on the surface but underneath all that, possessiveness and the need to mark lie. Sam reaches over and undoes Gabe’s buttons too, to leave them in the same state of undress. 

Sam promises and lets himself be led up the stairs, where all there is, is thoroughly messing up Gabriel’s hair, sweat on Sam’s skin as Gabriel sucks him down and pressing in deep to where no else will ever touch again.

*******

He sees her two months before the wedding. For a moment he’s not sure what to do. He could hide, which would be easy enough. Pick up his order and slip away into the busy lunchtime crowd. She wouldn’t notice, until he was long gone.

But that’s not Gabriel’s style. Sam might have done that all too willingly but he sure as hell won’t. Not to this woman.

“Hello, Ruby,” he says calmly, placing himself firmly in front of her. He’s probably causing a disturbance but he doesn’t care. These caffeine freaks can wait while he has a few words with the woman who wrecked Sam.

She doesn’t look all that surprised to see him but by the slight lift of her eyebrow, she’s curious as to why he’s talking to her.

“Gabriel,” she says coolly, taking her change from the barista. She’s dressed in red – no surprise, she needs all the warning signs she can get – and her long dark hair is held back in a simple ponytail. It doesn’t suit her, making her face that much harsher, fiercer. Not that there’s much that can make Ruby look soft.

“How are you doing? You know, after you manipulated and cheated on Sam, like a little whore?” Gabriel’s sweet smile counteracts the venom in his words, but he can be like that. No one ever expects him to be all vengeful wrath underneath that cute, golden exterior.

Her mouth opens slightly in shock before closing into a twisted smirk.

“So, I guess from your smug demeanour and that you’re over here, talking to me, Sam’s still sticking it to you, huh?” she says, moving out of the way of the counter to wait for her beverage. Gabriel follows her. 

Well, it’s not his fault. Sam wouldn’t let him send her a wedding invite with ‘I won’ on the back.

“Sticking it well and sticking it hard, every night,” Gabriel agrees cheerfully. Her hands twitch for a moment, like she’d like to wrap them around his neck but they’re in public.

“Why? You jealous? We both know Sam’s great in the sack,” Gabriel says, noticing the way her jaw clenches in fury.

“Like it matters. He’ll get bored of you soon. All he cares about is that dead little tramp,” Ruby spits out the word tramp and Gabriel feels a rush of fury on Sam’s behalf. There’s no way sweet, dead Jess deserves to be dismissed like that by this poisonous bitch.

“It’s not that she’s all he cares about, it’s that she’s far better and more worth caring about than you,” Gabriel seethes. Ruby’s mouth twists again and Gabriel notes that it does not make her pretty. It makes her look calculating and inhuman.

“Latte for Ruby!” a barista calls and deposits Ruby’s cup to go on the counter. Ruby eyes Gabriel warily and goes to get it, cradling the warmth in her hands: or considering throwing in in Gabriel’s face.

“What do you want, anyway?” she asks. “I don’t have all day to throw insults back and forth at my ex-boyfriend’s piece of ass.”

“Oh, but I’m here to gloat,” Gabriel tells her and lets all the smug happiness he has infuse his words. “Guess you didn’t hear the happy news?” She stares back balefully but under her makeup, all the blood is draining from her face fast. She suspects what’s coming.

“But then again you’re not invited or friends with anyone who was, so I guess you wouldn’t have,” Gabriel says thoughtfully. He sneaks a peek at her and her eyes are little more than narrow slits. She could not look more snakelike if she tried.

“You…you’re getting married? To Sam?” she says weakly and Gabriel can’t stop the grin spreading across his face. Two months to the wedding and he still can’t stop it when he hears it, knows that it’s real and not some far off dream.

“Yeah. He popped the question a few months back,” he says casually, while bringing a hand up to his neck to pull out the silver chain that rests next to his throat. On it is the shiny diamond engagement ring that Sam had presented to him that night. He loves having it there, right next to his heart. He loves it more during sex when Sam reaches down from behind to press a hand against his chest and traps it there next to his skin. The coolness of the metal heightens the heat of Sam’s palm, both against the furious thudding of Gabriel’s heart.

Ruby is watching the proof dangle back and forth from Gabriel’s fingers. She seems struck speechless, almost horrified. Gabriel’s a little bit surprised. He never thought that Sam was anything more than a meal, just an amusement to her.

“There was an announcement in the paper. But I guess you don’t read anything not Vogue.” This brings her back to life, colour rushing to her cheeks.

“Well, I certainly don’t read that tat of a magazine you’re on,” she hisses and Gabriel smirks. He’s won, in more ways than one. This little chit of a girl can’t bother him. 

“Hey, Anarchy’s a good magazine,” he protests, though he’s not that bothered. Anarchy can sometimes be trash but it sells. “Anyway, I’ve got to get back, speaking of work. I’ll tell Sam you said hi, shall I?” He turns to leave and then pauses and turns back to face her, unable to resist one last parting dig.

“So, I guess when you two were together, you knew that all he was thinking of was Jess? But when he’s fucking me, I know he’s thinking of only me. Guess that’s why I’ve got the ring and you’re just some skank he used to know.” And with that, he leaves Ruby behind, safe in the knowledge that it’s forever. 

Oh, yeah, Gabriel can bitch with the rest of them.

Best not tell Sam what he’s done though.

*******

“You know, if I can’t insult your fiancé, it seriously limits my best man speech, you know,” Dean comments grumpily from the lawn chair he’s slouching on. Sam can only be bothered to half look at him disapprovingly. It’s warm, there’s beer and between John, Mary, Jody and Gabriel there’s a pretty awesome spread about to be served.

“Funny anecdotes, yes. How we’re an inspiration to all future couples, yes. That you introduced us, fine. But keep a lid on the insults, the innuendos and any cussing, alright? This is not a redneck wedding or anything from ‘Don’t tell the bride.’” Sam swigs his beer lazily. This pre-wedding barbeque was a great idea. Closest friends and family all here, with food and exclaiming over how much they’re looking forward to the wedding.

Sam’s a little jittery but that’s to be expected. He half wishes the wedding wasn’t going to be so big because he, unlike Gabriel, has a bit of stage fright. But once he gets up there and sees Gabriel’s golden eyes he’ll forget all about it.

“Well, there’s two best men, right? Do we both have to do one?” Dean asks, scrunching up his nose.

“Yes. But you can be a maid of honour if you really want,” Sam mumbles. He’s too comfortable to think of insults that get more of a rise out of Dean than an exasperated eyeroll.

“So who’s Gabriel’s best man?” Dean wonders, gesturing with his bottle to Sam’s fiancé at the other end of the garden. Sam cracks an eyelid open and watches Gabriel laugh with Mary while they toss salad. Gabriel is beautiful in this light, all warm and radiant, eyes shining. 

And he’s got awesomely tight shorts on too. Everything’s coming up Sam.

“Cas,” Sam says absently and lets his eyes drift shut again. Dean makes a small noise of confusion.

“What, some chick?” When it looks like Sam has truly dozed off Dean whacks him on the shins.

“Ow! Dean!” Sam scowls at where he’s spilled some beer on his shorts and futilely rubs at it with his hand. 

“Well? Is it some chick? Is she hot?” Dean probes and oh, Sam can see where this is going.

“No, Dean.”

“No, she’s not hot?”

“No, he’s…well, he’s kind of hot. Not your type though,” Sam gives up on the wet mark and chugs on his beer again. Dean has an expression that means he’s trying to think.

“So…it’s a guy named Cas?”

“Castiel. Gabriel’s brother? They’re both named after angels.” Dean slumps back in his seat, less interested now there’s not untapped hottie on the horizon.

“I thought he had two brothers?” Sam idly peels the label off the bottle, wondering if it’s possible to be driven insane by the smell of barbeque ribs.

“He does. But the youngest…”

“Yes?” Dean says impatiently.

“He’s called Alfie,” Sam says reluctantly. Dean stares at him for a moment and then cracks up laughing.

“Alfie? God, did they give up or something?”

“Something like that, yeah,” Sam says, his own grin spreading across his face. “Gabriel is…well, Gabriel and apparently Cas isn’t very angel like either, being…well, gay and upping sticks and emigrating to London with some older guy named Baz a couple of years back. So they named him Alfie. Irony is, he’s the most angelic, butter wouldn’t melt, Good Samaritan son-of-a-bitch around.”

Dean continues to chortle at this so Sam good naturedly rolls his eyes and leans back, resting his head on his free arm (the one not holding the precious, ice cold bottle of beer that is.)

“So really, huh? Some guy named Baz?” Dean asks, when he’s finally stopped laughing.

“Yeah, some hippy guy into orgies and stuff, Gabe said,” Sam muses. Gabe hadn’t been able to tell him too much of the story, he’d been laughing so hard trying to retell it. Cas hadn’t been much help either when they’d met seven months ago, so embarrassed by the whole thing he was trying to forget about it.

“You sure he’s not my type? Orgies and stuff, he’s gonna be pretty awesome if he’s into shit like that,” Dean says with a grin, tipping his chair back. His freckles are getting more pronounced in this bright sun.

“He’s really not,” Sam says impatiently. “He was just in love and followed Baz because of it. They broke up not long after that. Cas is all suits and religion and protocol. According to Gabriel, it was like the weirdest fucking relationship ever.” Dean looks crestfallen, like he was hoping for a new best buddy or something. But he and Cas will never click, Sam is sure of it.

“Well, that’s boring,” Dean says sulkily. “Are you sure he and Gabriel are related in that case, and the orgy-organising, drugs, rock ’n’ roll guy isn’t really Gabe’s brother instead?”

“Pretty sure,” Sam says with a smile.

Gabriel swans over at this point, clutching two new beers in hand for the brothers. He sits down on Sam’s deck chair, which is almost impossible due to Sam’s size, but works, because Gabriel prefers to drape himself across Sam’s lap. Dean groans and almost snatches the new beer away.

“Must you do that in public?” Dean exclaims, in exasperation. Gabriel grins and almost leers before turning to Sam and planting a big kiss on his mouth. Dean’s reaction is predictable.

“Ugh! God, make it go away!”

“Hello,” Sam murmurs, wrapping an arm around Gabriel (because if he doesn’t Gabriel will get too enthusiastic and wave his arms about and fall off the chair) and tugging him in closer. “Are you just over here to make Dean sick to his stomach or is there an actual purpose?”

“Nope,” Gabriel says and tugs Sam back into another kiss. Dean makes a noise of disgust and gets up to walk away but Sam doesn’t notice, arms full of Gabriel.

“How’s lunch coming?” he asks, when they finally break apart.

“Good. Almost ready. Me and Jody got enough pie between us to make Dean happy and some seriously choice ribs.”

“Good, good,” Sam says, pressing a light peck to Gabe’s slightly scruffy cheek. Jody spots them and cat calls from the other side of the garden.

“Come on, you lot, get your asses to the table!” she hollers, loud enough for the scattered party to hear her. Bobby, lounging in a hammock in the shade, nudges his cap up a little and sits up to glare at her.

“Good Lord, woman, we can hear you,” he grumbles, pulling himself up. Dean, Jo, Sam, Gabriel and Garth all pick themselves up from their respective sunbathing positions and hurry over to the food.

“Woah,” Dean mutters, eyeing the food that has been spread out across two large tables. His eyes grow even bigger when he spots the pies cooling in the kitchen window. “Woah!”

“Not til after dinner,” Mary scolds her eldest son. “Sit.” She wraps an arm around Gabriel and Sam each and squeezes them, looking a little teary-eyed. Sam hugs her back and then pulls out a chair dramatically for Gabriel. Dean snorts into his bun, where he’s already piling on mustard and relish onto what will be the first of many burgers.

“Just wait until you get married,” Gabriel promises him solemnly. “I’m going to make a speech about when you actually wore one of those man thongs to work.”

*******

“But I didn’t have any other underwear left!” Dean is still wailing two hours later, when all the food is gone and dusk is starting to settle in, a half orb glowing faintly in the sky. The garden is illuminated by fairy lights and lamps, that Sam knows will be used for their reception.

“I know you liked it, really,” Jo says, eating pickles right out of the jar. 

Gabriel snorts from where he’s curled up under Sam’s arm. He’d started falling asleep shortly after the third piece of pie. It wasn’t unusual for Gabriel to drift off immediately after a full meal.

Dean scowls at her but Jo only licks pickle juice off her fingers (ew) and smirks back at him. Around the table people are in similar states of ‘eaten way too much.’ Bobby is outright dozing underneath his cap and Ellen and Mary are talking quietly, at the far end, away from all the men (and Jo.) 

“You don’t mess with a man’s underwear drawer,” Dean grumbles. “That or his car.”

“Look, I’ve never done anything to your car,” Gabriel says bluntly. “If you have to suffer some man thongs to keep your precious baby untouched so be it.”

“Where did you even get them from anyway?” Dean says, ignoring any threats made against his car.

“Baz!” Gabriel says cheerfully.

“You got them from your brother’s ex-lover?” Sam asks sceptically, while Dean looks a little bit scandalised.

“He hadn’t worn them at all, had he?” Dean asks, looking horrified.

“No. Well, I hope not,” Gabriel says blithely. Sam covers a snicker as Dean’s mouth falls open even more comically.

“Anyway, come on, Sasquatch,” Gabriel says, wriggling out from under Sam’s arm and stretching. “It’s getting late and I still have that review to finish.”

“The one that’s due tomorrow, you mean?” Sam says, rolling his eyes. He’s far too used to Gabriel’s lax attitude when it comes to getting his reviews in on time. It usually involves a lot of coffee and finishing it sometime early morning.

“Well, there’s sex before or after, but if we leave now, we can do it before and after!” Gabriel whispers in his ear, under the pretence of bending down to grab his jacket. Sam couldn’t stop the grin spreading across his face at that. Who was he to disrespect Gabe’s work methods?

Sam has barely stood up before Mary is crushing him tight, her long blonde hair suddenly floating up his nose. He brushes them away before returning the hug.

“Oh, Sam,” she whispers so quietly that he has to bend his head to hear her. “A month today you’ll be married.”

That sentence hits Sam hard. A month from now, the reception will be in full swing, Dean will be hitting on single guests, the cake will be cut and he and Gabriel will be married. Truly, honest to God, in the eyes of the law married. It sends shivers down his spine. His whole life is about to change. Every step he takes from them on will have Gabriel by his side.

“I’m so proud of you, honey.” Mary’s eyes are glistening a little bit. She remembers all too well the days when Sam wouldn’t eat or sleep, unable to focus on anything but the ghost of a girl who wasn’t there. She’d fought so hard to get him past the grief and the guilt of surviving when Jess hadn’t. Dean never talked about that time when Sam had been so desperate to die with Jess: he hated thinking about how close he’d come to losing Sam.

“Jess’ll be proud too,” Mary murmurs and Sam unintentionally squeezes her. Hearing those words from her makes it more real: because Gabriel didn’t know Jess but Mary did, for years. Mary fed them cookies after school and helped Jess with homework, as well as Sam, and loved Jess like a daughter. She wept at Jessica’s funeral, laid flowers on her grave for months afterwards. Still treasures a picture of Jess on her sixteenth birthday.

That’s probably the moment Sam knows he’s finally let Jess go.

Mary reaches up and brushes away the single tear that’s escaping. Sam can’t help it: the emotion’s too much. He’s carried Jess so close to his heart for so long and finally having closure is overwhelming.

“You picked a good one,” she says with a smile. “Two good ones.” Sam gives her a somewhat damp smile back.

“I did, didn’t I,” he says but it’s not a question. He knows he did.

But that ‘good one’ is also very loud.

“Sam!” Gabriel hollers across the lawn. “Come on!” Sam smothers a chuckle as he squeezes Mary one more time and says his goodbyes to the rest of his family: a hug for Jo, a clap on the back from Dad, Ellen brushing a strand of hair behind his ear.

That evening, after Gabriel has finally finished writing and is spread snoring across his chest, Sam smiles into the darkness.

He’s good. He really is.

*******

The last month passes too quickly.

There’s a flurry of panic when the band pulls out last minute but apparently Garth knows some guys who’ll step in and are pretty good, despite their strange name. Sam’s not sure how he feels about the ‘Ghostfacers’ playing at his wedding but Gabriel got his way with the chocolate fountain so really, he feels like he should let it go.

The day before is a rush of activity. Everyone’s pitching in, even a reluctant Dean. Tonight Gabriel will go home but Sam is going to stay with Dean. Surprisingly this is Gabriel’s idea.

“Bad luck before the wedding, Sammy,” he’d said briskly a few weeks ago, after revealing he’d already cleared it with Dean. Sam’s not sure about it, but he figures if he has any jitters Dean can kick them out of him just as well as Gabe could kiss them away.

Mary keeps tearing up, of course.

Jo wants to know if they really need bridesmaids, as they’re both men (yes, they do and she has to wear the dress.)

Gabriel’s relatives are flooding in from out of town. Cas will arrive later tonight and go to their house to help Gabriel before the wedding. Alfie’s already here and has already made all of the women fall in love with him (Sam’s a little scared Ellen might make off with him after the wedding.)

Sam’s friend Sarah had offered to let them use her father’s art gallery for the reception but Sam had wanted it here. The fairy lights from the barbeque are still here, but doubled, spread over trees and bushes. Tonight they’ll illuminate everything in brilliant multi coloured light. There are huge Chinese-style lanterns scattered around, dangling from wires, high above their heads. Rufus and a bunch of guys from Bobby’s garage are moving tables across the lawn. Madison and the other girls are placing chairs, instructed by Jody who’s holding the seating chart.

The tablecloths and centrepieces will all be arranged tomorrow morning, before the wedding party gets back from city hall.

Sam sees a beer being waved in front of his face and takes it gratefully from Dean.

“So, little bro,” Dean says, moving to sit down next to Sam on the porch swing. “How’s it feel?”

“Dunno,” Sam says honestly. “It doesn’t feel real right now. Like it’s happening to someone else?” Dean pulls a face.

“If I were marrying Gabe, I’d wish it were happening to someone else,” Dean says with a straight face. Sam smacks his arm, but he knows Dean is only teasing. Taking the mick for Dean is as natural as drinking beer and driving.

“It’s just…surreal that it’s nearly here. It seems like it wasn’t so long ago I asked him to marry me.”

“Everything’s gonna change now, Sam,” Dean says softly. Sam nods.

“I know, Dean. But I think I’m ok with it.” The brothers sit in comfortable silence for a while, rocking the old chair back and forth and drinking. 

“I want to thank you, Dean.” Dean looks up surprised, and sees Sam’s face tense and solemn.

“What for?” Rufus can distantly be heard yelling at Garth for dropping a table on his foot and there’s the chatter of the women in the kitchen, organising the drinks and food for tomorrow. The sun is beginning to set: soon Sam will leave and the next time he sets foot in his childhood home, he’ll be a married man.

“For a lot of things. Being there for me. For always being there for me. Helping me through Jess’ death even when I wanted to die. For making me see it was ok to date again. And mostly for Gabriel. I never would be here – be so happy – if you hadn’t taken me to the magazine party that night and introduced us.” Dean takes a swig of his beer, looking vaguely uncomfortable now that the talk has shifted to feelings.

“Yeah, well…” he says gruffly. “Gabriel isn’t a bad guy. Lazy, loud-mouthed and crude…but I know he’ll take care of you. That’s all I ever wanted, Sammy.”

“De,” Sam uses his old childhood name for Dean. “You’ll find someone, won’t you? Like I have Gabe?” Dean squirms uncomfortably.

“I don’t know, Sam. I’m not like you. I don’t know if I could ever settle down like that.” But Sam smiles. He knows his brother better than Dean knows himself. Dean will be fine.

“You will. I’m sure of it,” Sam says confidently. “Really soon, I’ll bet. Who knows? Maybe you’ll find someone at the wedding.” 

“You’re such a sap, you know that?” Dean says, smirking. “What, do you want me to be able to say to my kids, ‘we met the day my little sister, Samantha, got married…’”

Sam hits him again.

“Oh, look, it’s the blushing bride,” Dean drawls, as Gabriel strolls up the steps towards them. As always, Sam’s breath catches in his throat at the sight. The light plays of Gabriel’s hair and the green in his shirt emphasises his golden eyes beautifully. 

“You can’t have it both ways, Dean” Gabriel says. “I’m the bride or he’s the bride, pick.”

“Nope. Gay wedding is gay wedding. So you’re both the bride.”

“Yeah? Well, starting tomorrow, you and I are gonna be related,” Gabriel says sweetly. Dean’s face is a picture. He grunts with disgust, slapping a huge hand on Sam’s shoulder. 

“We’ll head out soon, yeah, Sam?” Sam nods as Dean leaves to help Rufus (poor guy can’t catch a break and Garth has been banned from table duty) and Gabriel takes his place.

“I’ve got to go, Sam,” Gabriel says. “Cas is arriving soon so I’m going to go pick him up and go back to ours.” Sam puts his beer down so he can hold Gabriel’s hand. The fingers under his are warm and familiar, ridiculously soft and manicured. 

“Ok. Be careful,” Sam says, leaning over to give his fiancé a kiss. Gabriel responds enthusiastically, probably aware they won’t be able to kiss until the ceremony tomorrow. Sam understands: he wants to map out Gabriel’s mouth and remember the sweetness right up until they’re reunited tomorrow.

“I love you,” Gabriel says into Sam’s mouth, barely breaking the connection.

“Don’t be late,” Sam replies and Gabriel moves away to laugh.

“Is that it?” Gabriel puts his hands on his hips, pretending to be outraged.

“And I love you more than my own life,” Sam says and hauls Gabriel back in by the scruff of his collar. The noises Gabriel makes after that sounds suspiciously like ‘that’s more like it.’

“Say hi to Cas for me,” Sam murmurs when they finally, reluctantly part. Gabriel sneaks one last kiss, a slow brush of lips, Gabriel’s tongue darting out to lap against Sam’s bottom lip and then he moves away again. “And don’t be late.” Gabriel snorts.

“I won’t be late to our wedding. Have some faith,” Gabriel says. He’s still playing with Sam’s hair, obviously delaying the moment he actually leaves. Sam tugs his hand away – though not without regret – and gives him a gentle shove.

“You’ll be late to pick up Cas.” Gabriel pouts but stands.

“Miss you already, sasquatch,” he says. Sam smiles and watches Gabriel walk away, into the house. He picks up his beer and swigs it thoughtfully. 

“Dean!” he calls out suddenly. 

“What?” Dean hollers back, looking slightly annoyed. The table arranging doesn’t seem to be going well, even with the lack of Garth.

“We need to go now! I’ve got something to do!” Dean drops the table, looking relieved to be free from the wedding preparations but unluckily for Rufus, it lands on his foot again.

“Let’s get out of here before that crotchety old man beats my head in with one of the centrepieces,” Dean mutters, taking all three steps up to the porch at once and manhandling Sam through the back door. “Where do you want to go anyway?”

*******

“This is fucking creepy,” Dean says, shivering a little in the cool evening air, although Sam suspects it’s from the location, not the weather.

“This is something I have to do,” Sam explains. “One last time.”

“One last time?” Dean asks, eyebrows raised.

“Before the wedding. I have to tell her something.” Dean only nods once: but whether he really understands or not, Sam isn’t sure. He’s glad his brother is here though.

Dean was extremely unenthusiastic about breaking into a graveyard but he’d gone along with it anyway. He’d refused to let Sam do this by himself, and was now following Sam in the fading light to Jessica Moore’s grave.

Sam has been here so many times he could walk it in his sleep. He finds her, peaceful as usual, next to an old woman who’d died in her sleep and a young man, a victim of cancer. Her headstone is bright and gleaming even in this light: her parents take good care of it. Her photo makes Sam’s heart clench a bit but it’s not as painful as it once was. She’s so young and beautiful there.

“Hey, Jess,” Dean greets her as though she were alive and standing right there. “Anyways…I’ll be over there. Give you some privacy.” Sam nods and watches Dean’s departing back before carefully lowering himself to the ground.

“Sorry I haven’t visited in a while. Been a little busy,” Sam starts and then hates himself for making excuses to her. He takes a deep breath, crosses his legs and starts again.

“So anyway…I’m getting married tomorrow. It’s weird but it’s really happening. Once upon a time I was certain I wouldn’t marry anyone but you.” 

“Even when you died, I was determined to keep that promise; to not love anyone else ever, because it wouldn’t compare a fraction to how I felt about you. And for a while that was true. There were girls and boys and not once did one of them get past that door.” The wind whips across the graveyard suddenly, ruffling Sam’s hair and making him shiver. 

“When I met Gabriel I thought it would be just sex. A quick fuck to get rid of the taint of Ruby. But it wasn’t like that. It was never like that. I…I don’t know how to explain it.” Sam stops suddenly, at a loss. How do you explain why you love someone? Can something that sublime even be put into words?

“In a lot of ways Gabriel’s nothing like you. He’s rude and sarcastic, he loves playing tricks. He eats sweets by the bucket load and doesn’t care about the consequences. He teases Dean and never writes his reviews on time and hogs the bed, even though he does not need that much space. But he’s kind and funny and has this light that reminds me of you.”

“I know I went back on my promise. The one that I made to you when I was seventeen? It was right here, two weeks after you died. I swore I’d never fall in love again. When I realised I’d fallen in love with Gabriel I hated myself for betraying you like that. Poor Gabe didn’t have a freaking clue what was going on.” Sam winces, remembering that time. He’d tried so hard to push Gabriel away, wracked with self-loathing and guilt. But Gabe had stayed. He shouldn’t have but he stayed.

“But tomorrow he’ll be my husband. And I can’t regret that. Part of me will always wonder what our life together would have been like…but I’m glad I’ve found love again. I hope you are too.” Sam is crying. He doesn’t know when he started but when he feels wetness falling onto his wrist he realises he must have been for a while. He hopes that maybe, one day, he can think about the girl and the life he lost without crying. He’s pretty sure Gabriel can heal that wound, no matter how much time it takes.

“I just wanted to say that I won’t be visiting as much from now on. I’ll come see you – for the rest of my life, I imagine. Because you were the first person I ever loved. We were always together. I promised myself in the ninth grade that I would marry you one day. Which saying it aloud now makes me seem like a girl. Glad Dean’s not around to hear me say that.” Sam laughs a little at that (it sounds funny with his now blocked up nose) and imagines her smile. Tries to imagine Jess grown up, instead of the teenager he had known.

“But I have to learn. You’re dead. I’m not. I won’t stop loving you. I’ll always love you. But I have to carry on living, and now I have someone else to look after. You remember Gabriel: I end up having to peel his face off his desk after he falls asleep when he’s meant to be working.”

“I just wanted to see you once more before tomorrow. I needed to tell you that I love you and I will never forget you…but I need to move on. It took a long time but I’m finally there. I’m happy now. I hope you are too.” Out of the corner of his eye Sam can see Dean hovering uncertainly nearby, worried about Sam but not wanting to intrude.

“I’ve got to go now. Think my best man is getting freaked out by all the ghoulies and ghosties lurking around here,” he tells her. “He’s not exactly one for fighting things that go bump in the night.” He pulls himself shakily to his feet, stretching his long limbs as he goes. He hurriedly rubs at his eyes, although he suspects Dean has already seen. 

“Good bye, Jess,” he tells her and then turns and walks away.


	2. The Big Day

The way Sam usually woke up was very pleasant. Gabriel would be tucked up next to him, in their big bed, buried against Sam’s chest and snuffling softly in his sleep. In the rare cases that Gabriel got up before he did, Sam woke to the smell of coffee and the taste of the apple Danish that Gabriel hadn’t been able to resist taking a bite out of as he carried the tray upstairs.

It seems very unfair that on his wedding day Sam was woken up by a pillow to his face and his dick of a brother yelling about something, with no gorgeous food critic in sight.

“Sam!” Dean continues to bellow in his ear. “Get the fuck up!” 

Sam blearily opens his eyes and squints at the alarm clock, rather than at Dean, shirtless and in jeans, clutching a pillow. It’s too early for anything, never mind impending crises.

“But the alarm hasn’t gone off yet,” he mumbles sleepily. Dean rolls his eyes and then soundly thwacks him again.

“I know that! But everyone’s going crazy! The phone’s been ringing off the hook!” Dean says while Sam groans and tries to bury himself in the duvet. “And your caterer has rung three times and something’s hit the fan.”

“Maggie rang?” This wakes Sam up immediately. Their caterer is a high-strung, well dressed society bitch who unfortunately happens to own and run the best caterers in town. She’d terrified Sam when they’d met though: her current separation from her husband made her extremely bitter to anyone even slightly happy in their relationship.

But apparently her mini éclairs were to die for. So they booked her.

“What does she want?” Sam says groggily, sitting up and rubbing his eyes. Dean lobs the pillow at his face and then shrugs.

“Something about how her husband’s been banging some skank from work and she should cut every man’s dick off because they’re just such a useless, cheating gender? Hard to say. But sounds like she’s gone off the deep end, man.”

“Ok, ok.” God, this is a lot to process at half seven in the morning. “Ok, what else?”

Dean looks uncomfortable for a second.

“Uh…you’d better come see for yourself. Put on some pants and I’ll make us some coffee.”

“Only if you promise to put on a shirt!” Sam shouts after his brother’s departing back.

Seriously. This is supposed to be the happiest day of his life. Why can’t it ever run smooth?

 

_________________________

 

By half past eight Sam has had two cups of coffee, has called five different people and Dean still hasn’t put a shirt on.

“Maggie, Maggie…yes, I get that. But it’s our wedding day! You can bitch, you can hate all men, you can even go key his car after it’s over but please, don’t back out!” Sam is desperate. Maggie is not inconsolable: far from it. She has rage that no woman he’s ever met has been able to match. He thinks he was right to be terrified of her.

Dean is running around on the phone to their mom. Turns out that Maggie is not their only problem. The Ghostfacers are stuck, as their van has broken down but Garth agreed to go pick them up so that’s one problem solved. But many, many more dominos have come tumbling down. Wind in the night has tipped over tables and brought down decorations. Sam’s grandparents are stuck several hours away in heavy traffic. The florist is running behind.

“Yes, that is a sucky thing to do. No, I don’t know why we’re such crappy, cheating bastards.” Sam rubs his eyes wearily. He needs more coffee. “Please, Maggie, I’m getting married today. I need you. Gabriel wanted to hire you more than anybody and he’ll be crushed if he doesn’t get to try your cookie cream éclairs. Yes, damn straight you’re the best caterer in town. No, your husband doesn’t deserve you.” He can see Dean making obscene gestures in the doorway, phone still clasped to his ear. He’s also pretty sure he’s mouthing something…oh. ‘Bunny boiler.’ Thanks, Dean.

“You will?” Sam perks up. “Maggie, you’re the best! We’ll see you later.” Sam hangs up the phone and then mimes shooting his brains out. Dean snickers and then turns back to their mother on the other end of the line, clearly hashing out how to salvage the train wreck that is Sam’s wedding.

Sam slumps on the table. He never wanted a big wedding – all Gabriel’s idea – and now he feels vindicated that it’s a crappy idea. He wants to go home, kidnap Gabriel and elope. They should get married in Canada. 

Dean strolls over and slaps Sam on the back. He’s hung up with Mary and his eyes are bright with adrenaline.

“Don’t worry, baby bro. We’re gonna fix it and you’re going to have the wedding day you’ve dreamed of since you were a little girl.” Sam ignores the jibe and waves weakly at the coffee maker.

“Make me coffee, jerk. And fill me in. And for the last time, put on a shirt.”

 

_________________________

 

By quarter past nine, the whole wedding party has been dragged out of bed, kicking and screaming. Garth is gone, well on his way to bail out the Ghostfacers. Ellen and Jo are leading the team of bridesmaids to sort out the reception venue, with Madison dispatched to get more fairy lights. Mary and Jody are ringing around to make sure there aren’t going to be any delays or no shows, but at the minute, aside from Maggie’s melt-down, everyone is ready and on their way.

Sam, however, has shrieked all the way to their parents’ house, as Dean had driven with one hand and had a mobile with Gabriel on the line in the other. He’d refused to give Sam the phone as it was bad luck – although Sam insisted it was only bad luck to see each other before the wedding, not hear. 

By the time the Impala pulls up, Sam is clinging to the dashboard with his fingernails.

“You should have just given me the phone…” Sam gripes, pushing down a bubble of nausea in his throat. Dean snorts, already half way out the car.

“Give it up, you baby,” Dean says fondly. “C’mon, they’re waiting for us.” Sam makes to open the car door and then freezes.

“Gabriel’s not in there, is he?” Dean shakes his head, cramming his phone into his jacket pocket.

“Nah, his brothers are with him at your house.” Dean gives him a look. “What happened to it being a load of bull crap, Sam?”

“I don’t want anything else to go wrong,” Sam mutters, climbing out and stretching his legs. His attention is caught by the front door opening and Jo bounding out. She waves furiously at them, but doesn’t step off the porch as she’s barefoot.

“Oh, please don’t let there be anything else wrong!” Sam groans, making his way up the path. Dean beats him there and pulls Jo into a hug. She practically vanishes in his arms.

“What’s up, squirt? Tell me you have good news or Sammy’ll have a meltdown,” Dean says. Jo wriggles out from Dean’s grasp and runs a hand over her mussed hair.

“Don’t call me squirt, Dean,” she scowls. She looks the same as she did when Dean was eleven and she was five, and stayed the night with Mary while Ellen worked at the bar, after Bill died. “Come on, your mom wants you both.”

The kitchen is wild with activity. Mary is sat at the table, busy sketching a new set up for the garden. Ellen is busy bossing around the bridesmaids: Becky is chugging a cola, while Ava looks half asleep. Jody is on the phone, sipping wearily on a mug of coffee.

“Hey, mom,” Sam says, bending down to kiss her cheek. She’s wearing an old Beatles shirt and has pen marks across her hands. She’s so involved she doesn’t see Sam until he’s right beside her. 

“You’re here! Oh, Sam, how unfortunate this all had to happen today.”

“I know, mom,” he reassures her. “It’s just a couple of little things. I convinced Maggie to come so she’ll arrive with the food before the reception starts. And Garth’s already gone to get the band. It’s not even ten yet and the wedding’s not until four. We’ll be fine.” She smiles at him but he can see she’s worried. She wants this day to be perfect for them. 

“Gabriel says his brother will be along in about an hour to help out if we need it. Dean, if you get sugar everywhere, I’ll ban you from desert this afternoon!” she threatens as Dean has a mouth full of the doughnuts that Bobby picked up this morning.

“Won’t,” he mumbles, fingers in the box for a sprinkle-covered one. Mary rolls her eyes.

“Which brother? Did he say?” Sam asks.

“Castiel? Is that right?” she says, pursing her lips as she concentrates on her drawing again.

“Yeah, Cas. Nice guy.” Sam eyes the doughnuts and then manfully pushes the thought away. If he starts on one, before you know it, the box is empty and his suit doesn’t fit.

Bobby strolls into the kitchen, trucker’s cap askew. “Dean, boy, your father wants you. Says to make a start on the Impala.” Dean scowls, mouth full. There’s a sprinkle on his lip.

“I’m eating!” he protests. Mary glares at the wayward crumbs escaping.

“And that car is taking your brother to his wedding in six hours and counting. Move,” she scolds, pointing at him with her pencil. Dean pouts and shoves another doughnut into his pocket for later. He brushes his hands off as he goes but Sam still winces when Dean slaps him on the shoulder.

“Ok!” Mary puts down her pencil, after making a few final strokes. “I think we’re done. Here, Ellen.”

Ellen takes the sketches and after a moment, nods. “Yeah, we can get this done. Send out Madison when she comes back with the lights, ok, Mary?”

“How is Gabriel?” Sam asks anxiously, as Mary gets up to put on a fresh pot of coffee. Everyone else has filed out (or been marched out by Ellen) to get back to their various jobs. But Sam hovers, even though he knows he should be helping.

“He sounded fine when Ellen rang him this morning,” Mary says, getting a clean mug down from the cupboard for Sam. “Not too happy at being woken up early though. Not a morning person, your man, is he?” Sam smiles to himself.

“Really, really not,” he agrees and then sighs heavily. Mary gives him a concerned look.

“Are you alright, honey?” she asks. Sam collapses into Mary’s vacated chair and rubs his tired eyes.

“No,” he admits. “It’s just…it’s the biggest day of my life and Gabriel’s not here.”

“I know, sweetie.” She strokes his hair and tucks a strand behind his ear. “But it’s not for long. Things have been a bit…chaotic so far but we just had a shaky start, that’s all. You’re not doing this alone.”

“Yeah, I know. Thanks, mom.” She bends down to softly kiss the top of his head and he’s reminded of when he was a child and she could still do that without him needing to bend down.

She smiles and turns back to the coffee pot. 

 

_________________________

 

Half an hour later, Sam goes outside to check on Dean and John. They’re typically bent over the Impala’s engine and don’t notice Sam sneaking up behind him until he flicks Dean on the ear.

“Hey!” he yelps, nearly hitting his head on the bonnet when he stands. Sam rolls his eyes. Drama queen. And he’s taken his shirt off again.

“I thought you were supposed to be cleaning her,” Sam points out. “Not…whatever you’re doing.” Dean scowls in his direction, a hand automatically coming down to stroke the car’s bonnet.

“I’m just making sure she’s perfect for your big day,” Dean gripes. Sam smirks a little. For all Dean’s complaining, he really is happy for Sam. 

“I’m sure we could have a double ceremony if you really wanted. But you’ll have to break it to her that she won’t fit in a dress,” Sam says. John tries to stifle a laugh and turns away when Dean fixes him with a steely glare.

“I hate you both,” Dean says flatly.

“Hey, son.” John ignores Dean’s griping in favour of giving Sam a hug. “Nervous?”

“Hell, yes,” Sam says, manfully taking the brutal shoulder slap that goes with all of John’s hugs. John smiles, at him, cupping the back of Sam’s neck. 

“You’ll be ok. I was so nervous the day your mother and I got married, I got in my car the night before and drove off. Came right back, of course, but those jitters will get you something fierce.”

“Does Mom know you got cold feet?” Dean asks, back inside the bonnet again.

“Oh yes,” John says with a grin. “Your grandmother told me that before the ceremony she found Mary halfway out of the window in the church. Wedding dress on and all.” Sam laughs at the image that brings to mind. A younger Mary, with carefully curled hair and a large dress, out the window before Grandma Deanna hauls her back.

“But she came back, right? Like you did?” Sam asks.

“The way your grandmother tells it, she had to pull Mary in by her ankles,” John says dryly. “Your mother denies it, of course. But the thing is, everyone gets scared before a big change. Marrying Mary was the best thing I ever did.” Sam looks at his father and suddenly hopes that this is how it’ll turn out for him. That his children might look at him on their wedding days and see how much he still loves Gabriel after all these years. 

“Bet your wedding didn’t have so many complications though,” Sam says heavily. John claps him on the shoulder, smiling reassuringly.

“It’ll be fine. Got a call from Garth, they’re on their way back. Should be here in the next hour or so if traffic is good. And that crazy caterer of yours is on the way too.”

“She’s not crazy!” Sam protests automatically. “She’s just…”

“Crazy,” Dean helpfully supplies, from by the car. “Now we’re doing manly things. Shouldn’t you go get us beers or something?”

Sam cuffs him round the head again.

His next stop is to the backyard to check on Ellen and the bridesmaids but he’s cut off by Sarah, arms firmly crossed over her old Spice girl concert tee.

“No can do, Groom!” she says cheerfully, planting her feet firmly in front of the gate. Sam tries to get past her to peer over but she just pokes him in the ribs. Surprisingly pointy fingers, that girl.

“Hey!” he protests, dodging away from her hands. “It’s my wedding!”

“Exactly!” she says. “It’s a surprise. Now go do…something,” she says, making a shooing motion with her hands. Sam scowls. 

“I haven’t got anything to do,” he says, giving her his best puppy dog eyes. Behind her he can see a silver balloon making a break for it and being swept away on the wind before anyone can grab it.

“Boo hoo,” she mocks. They’ve been friends so long, she’s immune to the sad eyes. “It’s your wedding day, can’t you enjoy it or something?”

“Gabriel’s not here,” he points out. “Kind of impossible to do that without him.” Sarah gives him a cheeky look.

“Oh, you dog, you,” she says, raising a perfectly shaped eyebrow.

“Not like that,” he takes back…well, not totally like that. Wedding equals wedding night, after all. That he’s looking forward to.

She takes pity on him. She knows full well Sam doesn’t like to be idle.

“A car’s just pulled up,” she says, gesturing towards the front of the house, where there is indeed the scrape of tires on gravel. “Go boss them around or something. Maybe it’s Garth and the oddly named band I can’t believe you agreed to.”

“Too early,” Sam says, ignoring the jibe. “Probably Cas. I’d better go get him. He doesn’t know anyone here.” Sarah waves jauntily as Sam turns around and heads back the way he came. She waits until he’s out of sight before slipping back through the gate.

Sam hurries out to the front in time to see his future brother-in-law haul himself out of the front seat.

“Cas!” Sam calls. His fiance’s brother doesn’t resemble Gabriel at all. Gabriel is…petite (Sam is not allowed to say short, pint-sized or fun-sized. Dean is not allowed to use oompa-loompa, munchkin or smallfry) but Cas is about Dean’s height. Gabriel is soft golden hair, warm toffee eyes and smooth tan skin. Cas is pale tax accountant colour with dark hair that doesn’t know the meaning of ‘flat’ and sharp blue eyes. Castiel apparently resembles their father, Gabriel, their mother and Alfie a strange mix of the two.

“Hello, Sam,” Cas says wearily. The usual dark circles under his eyes look more pronounced than normal and Sam thinks that Gabriel probably didn’t do so well with their separation either. 

“Cas,” Sam says warmly, pulling Cas into a hug. Cas pats Sam’s arm awkwardly until Sam releases him. 

“I’m sorry for my appearance. Gabriel kept me up late last night and I was asleep when I got your call this morning…” Sam cuts him off.

“Hey, don’t worry. No one in there could care less about how you look. You’re going to be family soon.” Cas locks up his car before following Sam inside.

“I’ve never met any of your family,” Castiel says cautiously, as they step inside the front door. “I’ve met some of your friends while I’ve been in town but I should have made the effort more.”

“Look, it’s ok, Cas. There’s going to be plenty of time for that. Besides, you live six hours away. I think you’re let off from uncomfortable family gatherings.”

“That might change soon,” Castiel says, shrugging off his trench coat. “My friend from college, Rachel, says there is a position soon to be available in her magazine. I was considering it before I came here this weekend and when I told Gabriel about it this morning, he seemed quite enthused.” He looks around awkwardly before Sam takes the coat from him and puts it in the hallway closet.

“That’d be awesome!” Sam says. “Have you been thinking about it for long? Moving back, I mean?”

“On and off,” Cas says. “My brothers are both here and now that you and Gabriel are to be married I’d like to be around more. I feel like I have missed so much in their lives.”

“I get it. But then again, Dean and I have never really spent any time apart,” Sam says. It’s true: aside from school trips and travelling for work, they’ve never been a considerable distance apart. Definitely not as far as countries apart.

“Yes, Gabriel told me,” Cas says, with just the slightest hint of a smirk. Sam’s pretty sure Gabriel has told him that Dean was the first to hear about every important event in their relationship (whether Dean wanted to hear them or not.)

“If Gabriel had a few cocktails in him, I’m sure he told you a whole lot more,” Sam says dryly. “Speaking of Dean, he’s around here somewhere. I should introduce you. You know, best man to best man and all.”

“Oh, of course,” Cas mutters. Sam frowns slightly at his tone. He suspects that Gabriel may have been telling stories about Dean: stories that, to an outsider, make Dean sound less than stellar.

“Come on,” he says. “Everyone’s here. Now’s a good a time as any to introduce you. They’re not really letting me do much.”

“They have a point,” Castiel says. “It’s your wedding day. Gabriel was still asleep when I left.”

“Alright for some,” Sam says dryly, thinking of Dean smacking him in the face with a pillow. Then he pictures Gabriel in their bed, drowning in cotton sheets, alone, and his heart aches, so he leaves it and directs Castiel into the living room. Mary is on the phone with her mother, but she smiles when she see Sam and Cas.

“Yes, mom. No, really, we’ve got time…The wedding’s at four and the traffic can’t be that bad. You’ll make it in time for Sammy’s wedding. Yes…yes. Ok, keep me updated. I’ve got to go. Bye.” She ends the call with a sigh and then looks up at Sam.

“How are they?” Sam asks. Mary brushes her hair off her face. She’s lost her hairband somewhere along the way and her hair ripples down her back in soft, blonde waves.

“Still stuck,” she says wearily. “But they’re moving. Although when I rang off Dad was threatening to take the steering column and shove it down someone’s throat.”

“I think Grandma Deanna might have her work cut out there,” Sam says, grinning.

“Well, she’s been doing it for over thirty years now,” Mary replies. “I think she’s used to it. Who’s this?” Sam pulls Castiel forward so that he’s no longer hiding behind Sam’s large frame.

“Mom, this is Gabriel’s other brother, Castiel. Cas, this is my mother, Mary.”

“It’s good to finally meet you, Castiel,” Mary says, extending a slim hand. “I’m glad I finally get to meet both Gabriel’s brothers.”

“It’s good to meet you too, Mrs Winchester,” Cas says, taking her hand to shake it. “I’m looking forward to having Sam as part of my family. He’s a good man and Gabriel loves him very much.” Mary glows at this. Cas may have just endeared himself to her forever.

“I could say the same about Gabriel. For a while, I didn’t think Sam would ever be this happy again.” 

“It’s hard to be sad around Gabriel,” Cas says. “It’s very refreshing in this day and age.”

“It’s good for Sam. He worries about everything,” Mary replies.

“Not everything,” Sam protests.

“Yes, everything. You’re a control freak,” Mary says bluntly.

“Is it too late to walk out and forget you ever met my family?” Sam says dryly. Cas smiles.

“You have about five hours until the wedding. Much too late.”

Ellen sticks her head in through the door, looking a bit more drained than she had an hour ago. 

“I thought I heard a car. Is that good for nothing back yet?” she snaps. Castiel’s eyes widen a fraction at the sight of her: her hair is tied back with what looks like a streamer and she’s clutching a clipboard with such ferocity it might snap under the strain. Sam doesn’t doubt that this day will be perfect whether it wants to be or not. Ellen is like their second mother and she’s damn going to make sure everything falls into place.

“Cas, this our Aunt Ellen,” Sam says, with a smile. “No, Ellen, Garth’s not back yet. This is Cas, Gabe’s other brother.”

“The other one, huh?” she says, eyeing Cas up and down. “You sure you picked the right one there, Sammy? His brothers are mighty fine.” Sam grins at Castiel’s suddenly frightened expression and wonders if Alfie told him that Ellen nearly tried to take the youngest Novak brother home with her.

“Quite sure, Ellen,” Sam says. Ellen smirks at him: they both know she loves Gabriel and the pair has more than once spent an evening gossiping over cocktails.

“Well, at any rate you boys can get busy. I’ve got some napkins that need folding. Ash was meant to do it but he ruined the first ten by making them into something inappropriate…although, Gabriel would no doubt find it funny, you are not having penis napkins at your reception.”

“You got it. Opera houses, right?” Sam asks.

“I’ll be along later to inspect your work,” Ellen says, with a grin, but Sam suspects she means ‘inspect Cas’ ass.’ 

The napkins are a shimmery silver colour, piled neatly in a box. Sam can’t believe there are so many of them...Ash probably screwed them up on purpose just to get out of it.

“You know how to do opera houses, Cas?” Sam asks, reluctantly sitting down in front of the stacks of napkins. Cas follows suit.

“No, but I learn quickly.” Cas reaches for a napkin and looks at it uncertainly. “Maybe a Youtube video would be beneficial?” Sam snorts.

“We can’t do any worse than penises, right?” Sam says, likewise grabbing a handful. “Ok, so you fold it in half, right to left…”

The next half an hour progresses slowly. Sam’s first napkins are sloppy, having not done this since Sarah’s wedding a few years back. Cas searches for a Youtube video on his phone and after a few rough tries, gets the hang of it. By eleven there’s a steadily growing pile of opera houses.

“How is Gabriel?” Sam asks, when he can resist the temptation no longer. It’s been too long since he’s seen his fiancé – and they’ve never really spent any time apart since they got engaged. He craves Gabriel with every pore.

“Well, we got back to your house around seven. And by eight, Gabriel was drunk and eating a whole jar of maraschino cherries and watching the Real Desperate Housewives,” Cas says gravely. “So I suspect he misses you.”

“Probably nervous too,” Sam says, and he’s aware of his own jitters dancing in his chest.

“Probably. I must say, I love my brother but I never thought I’d see him here,” Cas says, carefully pulling up the layers on his current napkin.

“Getting married?” Sam asks. He knows Gabriel is not quite Dean’s level of commitment phobic but a steady relationship seemed unknown territory to him, way back when Gabriel had sidled up to Sam at that party and suggested they get acquainted in the first available stall.

“So in love,” Cas says. “So much so, he can’t bear to be apart from you. Gabriel has always been very independent, as well as very…unpredictable. I expected him to be the least likely out of the three of us to be here and yet he’s the first to get married.”

“Never made it with Balthazar then?” Sam teases and Cas flushes slightly.

“I loved him very much. But we were not compatible. Love can only get you so far.”

“Not hoping to meet anyone here then?” Sam says. “Lots of single people, romantic setting…”

“Oh, I don’t think so. It wouldn’t be wise. I’m not even sure I’ll get the job yet and if that’s the case my moving back will be put off…” Sam rolls his eyes at that one. Add point to wedding checklist: get Cas laid.

“Well, you’re the opposite of Dean. He made me write down every single, available person that’s coming today.” 

“Oh?” Cas asks softly, eyes never looking away from his napkin.

“Every available hottie, Sam means to say,” Dean interrupts from the kitchen back door. He’s shirtless, again, and drenched in sweat and grease. He’s rubbing his filthy fingers on a rag that has seen better days. Sam sees Castiel’s eyes land on Dean’s flat stomach and broad, slicked up shoulders before staring him straight in the eyes.

“Mom’ll kill you if you come into her kitchen like that,” Sam says, without properly looking up at his brother. He’s seen Dean in the nude way too many times before.

Dean holds up his hands. “I’m in the doorway. Besides, I’m just getting a drink for me and Dad. Car’ll be perfect, Sammy. Course, that midget of yours won’t be able to see over the dash but maybe that’s a plus.”

Castiel bristles next to Sam at the slight on his brother and Sam hurries to ease the tension before Cas starts being passive-aggressive. 

“Dean, this is Gabriel’s brother, Castiel. Cas, this is Dean. He’s usually less disgusting.”

There’s a tense pause as Cas and Dean size each other up. Sam manages to make two stupid opera houses before either one of them makes a noise.

“So this is the religious tax accountant that doesn’t like orgies, huh?” Dean says finally, tossing the rag onto the clean kitchen counter.

“And you must be the over-compensator with the large car and man thongs,” Cas replies smoothly and Sam stuffs a napkin into his mouth to stifle his laugh. Over by the door, Dean glowers.

“Hey, that was your brother,” Dean snaps. “And my baby isn’t overcompensating for anything. _Believe_ me.”

Unfortunately, living in the same house together for years means that Sam knows that it’s true. 

“If you say so,” Cas murmurs, with a smirk. Dean scowls again and stomps over to the fridge to pull out two beers. His boots leave behind several smears of mud on the floor.

“So did it not work because you didn’t like orgies or was the whole tax accountant thing a bit too much for him?” Dean says bitingly, popping the cap off and taking a swig out of one. 

“I’m a columnist,” Cas replies calmly. “Not a tax accountant. And Balthazar ran a nightclub. Made it quite hard to get time alone together.”

Sam shoots a look at Dean, warning him to lay off Cas. He can’t deal with the best men bickering, not today.

Dean pays him no mind whatsoever.

“Not a lot in common either,” Dean comments. “What with him sounding fun and you…” His eyes flick over Cas’ circled eyes, askew tie and rolled up shirt cuffs. “Not.”

“Yes, because you and Lisa had _so_ much in common apart from sex,” Sam butts in, as Cas is busy shredding a silver napkin that he’s meant to be folding. That one might have hit a bit too close to home. Gabriel is a flashy extrovert and Alfie is a baby-faced sweetheart. Cas is just…Cas.

Dean’s mouth twists sourly at the mention of his ex-girlfriend but he doesn’t reply. He drinks again, John’s beer still nestled in the crook of his arm.

“Hey Sam, did you hear the…woah,” Ash says, as he comes to a sharp halt inside the kitchen door. He nervously eyes Dean and Cas, still glaring daggers at each other, before turning to Sam.

“Sam, there’s some scary as hell woman outside wearing Chanel and a lipstick colour that is probably called ‘blood of a thousand men,’ he says, with that slightly shell-shocked look all men have after meeting Maggie. Sam should know, he’s been there (Gabriel hadn’t been phased in the slightest.)

“Maggie!” Sam exclaims. He drops the napkin he’s holding into a half-finished heap on the table and stands. “Did you let her in?”

“Yeah, I told her she could bring stuff round through the back door. She’s gonna need the kitchen though.” Ash’s eyes flick down to the mud trodden into the floor. Seeing Dean’s clenched jaw though, he keeps his mouth shut.

“Yeah, that’s fine. We can clear out of here, can’t we, Cas? Cas?” Castiel tears his eyes away from Dean to look at Sam. Dean moodily takes a swig of his beer and vacates the room. Sam hopes he doesn’t cross paths with Maggie. All that swaggering testosterone and sharp nails could be a bad combo.

“Of course,” Cas says calmly - as though he hasn’t just been involved in a glaring death match - and begins shifting their piles of opera houses. “Is there somewhere we can put these?”

“Yeah, we can shove them in the hallway closet for the time being,” Sam says, sweeping more opera houses carefully into an empty napkin box. “Ellen can sort them out. I’m not even allowed in the back yard right now.”

Ash grabs any that Cas and Sam can’t hold and together they carefully put the boxes of finished napkins into the hallway closet. Sam shuts the door and stretches out the crick in his neck. There’s noise in the kitchen, the sounds of metal trays and boxes being carried in by Maggie’s assistants. Mary swishes past them into the kitchen to volunteer to help Maggie, but before she even crosses the threshold she spots Dean’s muddy footprints. Sam thinks that even from the garage Dean will be able to hear her shriek.

“Dean’s in trouble,” Sam says, with the smirk of a little brother. Ash nods in agreement. Ellen wanders out of the living room with the house phone pressed against her ear. Her mouth is suspiciously tight and turned down at the corners. She walks right by them and into the kitchen. 

“Hey, so you’re Gabriel’s bro, right?” Ash asks Cas suddenly. Cas eyes him warily.

“I am, yes,” Cas says stiffly. 

“Good to meet you, man,” Ash holds out his fist and Sam smothers his laughter as a bemused Castiel responds with his own.

Mary and Ellen walk out of the kitchen. Ellen paces in the front hall, still on the phone, but Mary walks over to Sam, her face as overwrought as it was this morning.

“Mom?” Sam asks her. “What’s wrong?”

“The florist rang. She went to the venue to deliver the flowers for the wedding. But they told her that we had cancelled.” Mary bites her lip, watching Ellen gesture frantically, although the person on the other end can’t see her.

“What?” Sam says in disbelief. “So…we don’t have a place for the wedding?”

“No,” Jody says. She’s sitting on the stairs, also watching the proceedings. Her face and voice are calm, with the practice of years as a detective but her eyes glitter with restrained anger. “They gave the ballroom away to someone else. Ellen told the florist to bring the flowers here and then she rang Milton House to check.”

“And unfortunately it’s true. Somehow, somebody cancelled our reservation. How did they even get away with that?” Mary asks. Her lip is bright red with blood, she’s biting down so hard.

“How is that even possible?” Sam asks. Mary shrugs, looking horribly distressed. Ellen shrugs too: only because the person on the other end isn’t making any sense.

“No, no one cancelled it!” she says, her hair slipping out of its military neat ponytail. “They’re getting married today, nobody cancelled it or changed it! Well then, they must be wrong. Did you even check who it was?”

Sam slips an arm around Mary. He needs the support as much as she does. Ash hovers nearby but Cas has slipped away to the end of the hall to discreetly pull out a cell phone. 

“Oh, Sam, will we have to postpone the wedding?” Mary whispers, as Ellen gets more and more irate.

“No…I don’t know. We’ll figure something out,” Sam replies, but he’s not sure. He has no idea how they can find a place on such short notice. And then he remembers.

“Mom, where’s Sarah?” he asks urgently.

“Out back with the other girls,” she says, sounding confused and then grabs his arm when he moves. “No, you can’t go back there! I’ll get her.”

So Sam waits anxiously with Ellen and the others while Mary dashes out the back to get Sarah. Ellen shouts a few more profanities at the receptionist before hanging up. She looks at Sam and shrugs helplessly: she looks as upset as Mary underneath her anger. 

When Mary returns, she’s followed by the whole flock of bridesmaids, all of whom are chirping anxiously: Ava at the front, all the way down to Becky in the back.

“Sam?” Madison asks, dark brown eyes narrowed. “What’s going on? Is it true?”

“Yeah, someone cancelled our reservation today.” Sam searches the girls for Sarah’s sleek dark hair. “And they already rebooked it with someone else. We have nowhere to get married. Unless…”

“My dad’s art gallery!” Sarah says, in excitement, wriggling past Madison. She’s, thankfully, quick off the mark. “That’s what you wanted me for, isn’t it, Sam?”

“Yeah,” Sam says. “It’s a longshot. Is it available today?”

“Should be,” Sarah says, pursing her lips. “I’m sure my dad will let us use some space for you guys to get married. We probably even have enough chairs. Do you need someone to do the ceremony?”

“There’s Chuck,” Bobby says, appearing out of the living room. He’s clearly overheard Ellen’s not so sweet tones, as she gave the receptionist what for. “He’s what you call it? Officiated. He could marry you.”

“Alright, we’ll split into teams. Ava and Madison, you stay here and finish the garden. The rest of you, go with Sarah to help set up the gallery. I’ll go with you.” Ellen commands. Ellen would make a good party planner. Or a sergeant. 

“I can go with you, if you need another pair of hands,” Cas says suddenly, phone nowhere in sight. “I have some time before I need to be back with Gabriel.” Sam’s heart contracts at Gabriel’s name. Does his fiancé know what’s going on? 

“Who’s with him now?” Sam asks.

“Alfie and Crowley. I can’t speak for Crowley but Alfie will look after him,” Cas says. Sam’s not entirely sure Alfie alone can combat the influence of Crowley (and whatever whiskey he has stashed on him at the time) but he hopes Gabriel will not sink to drinking heavily in front of his youngest brother.

“Ok, action stations!” Ellen says, briskly clapping her hands together for attention. “Come on, guys, we’ve got four and a half hours until the wedding! Let’s go!” The assembled company scatters, Ellen’s group hurriedly arranging car pool. Sarah is on the phone, talking rapidly to her father and Jo has snagged the hallway telephone’s memo pad and is making a list of things they’ll need. As badly as Sam misses Gabriel right now, he’s grateful for his family.

Dean appears by Sam’s shoulder, now clad in an ACDC t-shirt but still smeared with grease. His presence is reassuring to Sam, fuelled by the childhood belief that his brother can fix anything.

Sam doesn’t miss the suspicious looks Dean and Cas give each other as the latter leaves with the girls out the door.

He also doesn’t miss Dean’s eyes raking over the long, muscular lines of Cas’ back down to his ass.

Yes. This should run smoothly.

 

_________________________

 

Surprisingly, for the rest of the morning, it does.

Sarah’s dad agrees to let them use a space in his gallery and Ellen is efficient in her military like precision in getting it ready. Sam’s not allowed to see it but John and Mary assure him it’s lovely. (Chuck, meanwhile, makes an effort to sober up.)

Ash gets clipped around the ear by Maggie for sneaking one of the appetisers.

Garth arrives with the Ghostfacers and helps them set up in the back yard. Even Sam’s grandparents make it on time (although Samuel bitches about ‘hippies in vans’ for half an hour and needs a drink before he’ll stop.) 

Sam feels ridiculously useless as his family and guests flitter around him, carrying flowers, lights and trays. He knows that very shortly he’ll be going back to Dean’s house to get ready and that’s nearly as daunting.

He persuades Ava to go into the kitchen and sneak him a beer, and takes it out onto the front porch. The sun is bright in the sky, a perfectly crisp fall day. He keeps an eye out for his brother: Dean had been sent to help out at the gallery about an hour ago. Sam wasn’t entirely sure that the gallery was big enough to keep Cas and Dean away from each other.

His phone chirps suddenly in his pocket. He puts his beer down on the step and fishes it out: it’s Sarah.

“Hey, Sarah,” he says. “How are things going?”

“Fine,” Sarah says. There’s general noise in the background – chatter and chairs scraping across the ground. “Dean’s on his way. He’ll be with you soon.”

“Ok,” Sam says, frowning. She sounds a bit off. Her ‘fine’ suggested that things were not at all fine. He hopes she isn’t keeping things from him, just because there’s only two hours until the wedding.

“Are things ok at the house?” Sarah asks. 

“Yeah, things are good here. The kitchen smells delicious but after Ash, Maggie won’t let any guys in there. Had to persuade Ava to get me a damn beer.” Sarah laughs, although she still sounds tense.

“Ok, good. Just, uh…” Sarah trails off. “Just keep an eye out, ok? And let the others know.”

“An eye out? An eye out for what?” Sam asks suspiciously.

“Anything. It’s just…We’ve had some odd things happening over here, ok? Nothing major. Really stupid stuff. The CD player got jammed up. Couple of banners got torn down, when Garth left the room for a few minutes. And Ellen found some vases that were smashed. Not even like someone had accidentally knocked over: just dropped in the middle of the floor, all three of them.” Sam frowns again. 

“No, I haven’t seen anything like that yet. But I’ll tell Grandma Deanna and Maggie. Do you think someone’s actually trying to sabotage the wedding?”

“I don’t know,” Sarah says uneasily. “But that guy from your surgery – what’s his name? Ed. He heard about the problem with Milton house and he thinks that someone called up, pretending to be from the wedding party to get it cancelled.”

“What do you think?” Sam asks immediately. Ed sometimes has some odd theories. He likes ghosts and legends and jumps to conclusions…but Sarah is one of the most level-headed people Sam’s ever met. If she agrees…

“I think…” Sarah sighs heavily down the phone. “I think he might be right. I didn’t at first but then all these strange things started happening and they’re minor but…”

“But it makes you think that the cancellation wasn’t just a mistake after all,” Sam finishes.

“Yeah,” Sarah says wearily. “And people are going to start leaving soon to get ready…I’m just afraid of what will happen if we leave and then come back to find everything ruined.”

“And Gabriel’s ok?” Sam asks, worried.

“Gabriel’s fine,” Sarah reassures him. “Castiel took off about twenty minutes ago to get back to your house. Left not long after Dean did actually. What the hell is going on with those two?”

“I have no idea,” Sam says. “I can’t work out if they hate each other or…”

“Want to bang each other like a screen door in a hurricane?” Sarah suggests cheekily. Clearly, Dean and Cas eyeing each other up was as blatantly obvious to everyone else as it was to Sam.

“That. I’m not sure which is worse.” Sam rubs at his eyes. He wants this to be over. He wants to just have Gabriel back, and none of this: no problems, no potential saboteur. “Of course, we still have bigger problems.”

“Such as the very distinct possibility that someone is trying to ruin your wedding,” Sarah says quietly. “Someone we know.”

“Yeah,” Sam says as John’s black truck pulls up in front of the house and Dean climbs out. It’s time to go. “Yes, that too.”

 

_________________________

 

Sam shrugs on his tuxedo jacket and stares at himself in the mirror. He looks pretty good, if he says so himself. He runs his hands through his hair a couple of times. Gabriel always bitches about how Sam rarely needs to use a hairbrush. Apparently being tall and gorgeous is annoying enough…perfect hair is taking it too far.

Dean’s spare room is full of crap. After Lisa had moved out, Dean had switched bedrooms and designated this one as the dumping ground. He’d tripped over a box of her stuff already, and then got tangled in an old afghan their grandmother had knitted. 

“Maybe he’d be happier if he did bang Castiel,” Sam mutters, shifting the boxes so he could get to his shoes.

“Did you say something, Sammy?” Dean yells from the bedroom down the hall.

“Nothing!” Sam replies and then continues talking to himself in a whisper. “Just that you keep this room as a sick sort of graveyard of Lisa’s junk.”

He stands up straight suddenly as the front door downstairs clicks shut. He walks over to open the door and stick his head out, still shoeless. 

But the landing is quiet and he can still hear Dean humming in his room. After a while he shrugs and goes back in. He’s got about twenty minutes before they need to leave for the gallery. More than enough time to dig out his shoes, clean his teeth, stop Dean from preening in the mirror and get in the Impala.

Sam exhales slowly, before grinning at his reflection, shoes forgotten. It’s happening. Finally.

He’s snapped out of his thoughts when there’s a creak behind him. 

“Hey, Dean, can you see my shoes? Dean?” But then she steps closer and he can see her reflection next to his in the mirror, like a ghost has appeared behind him. It’s not Dean at all. It’s not Sarah checking on him, or Ava, or any of his friends. Her thick dark hair is pulled over one shoulder, almost blending into the black leather of her jacket. She’s as cold and unforgiving as he remembers. 

When Sam turns around, Ruby stares him straight in the eyes and smiles.

“Hello, Sam.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...this took a while.  
> There will be a companion oneshot to this chapter. I haven't started it yet but I am seriously looking forward to writing it.  
> Oh and chapter 3. I'm going to love Dean SO MUCH in chapter 3. He's going to be my two favourite things: BAMF!Dean and Woobie!Dean.


	3. Time to get married

“Ruby?” Sam says in disbelief. He half hopes he’s hallucinating her – same hairstyle, same perfume, scarlet red nails – but he knows that even if he were drugged or delusional he would never imagine her.

“Sam,” she says, softly. “Miss me?”

“What are you doing here?” Sam demands, unconsciously taking a step back. He knows he’s a good foot taller than her and could easily overpower her if it came down to it…but something in the back of his head associates this woman with pain.

“Look, I know I’m the last person you want to see,” Ruby says, defensively holding her hands up. “But I need to talk to you and I had to do it alone.”

“So you snuck into my brother’s house?” Sam says, incredulously.

“I know,” she says again. “But I was getting desperate. You’ve been at your parents’ house all day. There was no other way to talk to you in private.”

“Ruby,” Sam begins and tries to sort out all of the confusion and rage in his head to find the right words. “I am getting married. To someone not you in less than an hour. You need to have a seriously good reason for being here or I call the police.”

“I know, I’m sorry!” Ruby says desperately. “But it is so, so important. I had to see you before, ‘cause once you’re married there’s no way Gabriel would let me near you.”

Very true. Gabriel may be short but he fights dirty. He’d borrow John’s shotgun before letting her anywhere near Sam.

“Alright,” Sam says reluctantly. He knows that she won’t go until she’s said her piece. Even if she has to scream it, she’ll make sure it’s heard. He shoves a pair of jeans and a pink raincoat to the side so he can sit down on the bed. “But this had better be good.”

“It is,” Ruby says. “We ended so suddenly, I guess I never got closure.”

Sam suppresses a snort. The last time he’d seen Ruby they’d had an all out screaming match at each other. He’d thrown her out of his house and pressed charges against her for theft   
and drug use.

“I’m not sure you’re going to get closure from me, if that’s what you’re here for…” 

“Don’t get married,” Ruby says, the words tumbling out in a rush, like it had hurt her to hold them in.

“What?” Sam says, stunned. She runs a hand through her dark hair, sweeping it back from her face, like he’s seen her do a hundred times. But it’s been two years and the action makes his stomach coil. She shouldn’t be doing that, not here, not now.

“I don’t want you to get married,” she says, a little bit louder this time. Sam breaks out of whatever little freak out he’s having and snorts.

“Little newsflash for you, Ruby, I don’t care what you want. Now get out.” He checks his watch quickly. He hasn’t lost too much time. He has to find his shoes and grab Dean. Sam makes a point of being on time – he’s not going to break that tradition with the most important day of his life.

“You loved me once,” she says. “Doesn’t that matter at all?”

“No, I think love went out the window when I found out you were stealing from me,” Sam says, bluntly. 

“I’m sorry,” Ruby says. “I was in real trouble and I couldn’t take any more money from my dad. I needed help...”

“And instead of asking for it, you stole from me to pay your dealer. And when that didn’t work, you took prescriptions illegally instead. You lied and cheated and deliberately tried to turn me against Dean. None of that says person in trouble to me, it says spoiled, little rich girl used to getting her own way,” Sam says, standing up. “And nothing has changed, because if you think I’m not going to marry Gabriel, all those drugs have clearly destroyed your brain.” 

“I’ve been in rehab,” Ruby says, her pretty mouth twisted down in a frown. “I’ve been trying to get better. My dad got me a job at his company.”

“Good for you,” Sam says, opening the cupboard door and looking in vain for his dress shoes.

“So, you’re not even going to listen to me?” Ruby snarls and the sudden change from the previous sweetness is startling.

“I’ve listened to you,” Sam says, shutting the cupboard doors again when it’s obvious his shoes aren’t there. “And now I’m done. If you’re asking me to forgive you, I can’t. I won’t.”

“I made mistakes,” she says, sharply. “But so did you.” Sam laughs, but it’s hollow. His only mistake was not ending it sooner. Not trusting Dean when he should have. Letting this girl come between them. It had nearly broken them apart for good.

“I was a good boyfriend, Ruby,” he says. “I was faithful to you.”

Ruby snorts derisively.

“Maybe in body but your mind wasn’t always,” she says.

Sam feels as though the air has been knocked out of his chest. She can’t be bringing this up again. But the pit in the bottom of his stomach knows before he does what’s coming next.

“Oh, please,” she says, catching sight of his face. “did you think that I didn’t know? I was always aware that I was second best to a ghost.”

“Maybe that’s because you were,” Sam says bitterly. Jess had always been an issue between them. Ruby was used to being wanted, being first in line for everything. The fact that a dead teenager was more important than her had driven her crazy.

“I suppose the same can’t be said for Gabriel?” Ruby asks coldly.

“No,” Sam says and watches her eyes narrow to slits.

“So, you’re still choosing him over me?” she asks, in disbelief. “That’s it?”

“Yes, Ruby, that’s it!” Sam shouts. “Do you want me to say I’ll take you back and I forgive you? Because that’s not going to happen! That will never happen! I loved Jess more than I cared for you and I love Gabriel more than I ever did anyone!”

Ruby stares at him, open-mouthed. 

“You what?” she croaks and Sam kind of wants to sit down now. It’s been a long day.

“I do,” he says and then again, a bit louder. “I do. I didn’t think I could love anyone more than I loved Jessica but the longer I spend with Gabriel the more I love him. And I never loved you.  
Now get out.” But Ruby doesn’t move. She’s giving him the same look that she did the day he confronted her – a kind of affronted rage that threatened to spill out of her into pure physical violence. 

“Oh my God, are you fucking kidding me?” Ruby spits, and there’s the old Ruby he knows. Sharp, manipulative. Bringing out the helpless little girl act when it benefits her.

“No, I’m really not,” Sam says wearily. He’s had enough. He’s tired and misses Gabriel and all he wants is to find his shoes and go. He steps right up to her, where she’s standing in front of the door and gets down in her face until the glint of her brown eyes are all he sees. “Ruby, I’m leaving now. I’m getting married. And there is nothing you can do about it.” 

Ruby clearly disagrees, because she reaches up a hand behind his neck and pulls him down towards her. Sam’s shriek is stifled by the lipstick covered curve of her mouth. Her nails scrape at the back of his neck, hand smooth and feminine. In his panic, he can’t breathe. He stays frozen, horrified, until she lets go and he stumbles back away from her.  
She smirks, eyes glittering with triumphant malice...

And that’s when Ruby’s head suddenly snaps backwards.

 

***

 

“Dean?” Sam says, loudly to be heard over Ruby’s shrieking.

“Sam, we’re running a bit behind,” Dean says calmly, as though he hasn’t got a handful of Ruby’s glossy dark hair wound tightly around his fist.

“A little bit, yeah. Do you know where my shoes are?” Sam asks.

“They’re downstairs. I left them in the coat closet,” Dean says. “Have you got everything else? We need to get moving. Ellen says that Gabriel and the others have already left for the gallery.”

“Um…” Sam hurriedly looks in the mirror and then smooths down his hair with his hands. Aside from looking slightly rattled he looks pretty good.

“Yeah, I’m good,” Sam decides. “But what about her?” They both look down to where Ruby is on her knees, fingers still scratching at where Dean’s hand is curled around her hair. She glares balefully up at them.

“You I have not missed,” she hisses. Dean smirks.

“Me either, sweetheart. And we have better places to be. Sam is getting married…” Ruby opens her mouth to speak again but Dean cuts her off. “Sam is getting married and I am going to make sure you stayed locked up until the ceremony is over and after that I am going to throw you to the wolves.”

“What are you going to do?” Ruby asks derisively. “Lock me in a cupboard until Sam’s married to that…” But whatever epithet she was about to use to describe Gabriel is cut off as Dean digs his fingers as hard as he can into her scalp.

“I’m not Gabriel’s biggest fan,” Dean says grimly. “But at least he treats Sam well and loves him. Which is more than I can say for you. Come on, Sam, we’ve got to go.”

“But what about her?” Sam asks. Dean reaches down to haul Ruby up with his free hand. His left hand is covered with deep scratches and a few flakes of bright red nail polish. Ruby grunts with pain but doesn’t say anything.

“I called Jody when I first heard you guys arguing,” Dean says, pushing Ruby forward and out the bedroom door. “She’s sending someone over to pick Ruby up. She says you can decide what you want to do when the wedding is over. But she said she highly recommends a restraining order, amongst other things.”

“I’ll do that,” Sam says, quietly. “But can we leave that until after today?”

“Yeah. Go grab your shoes and I’ll wait out front for the squad car.”

“Jody is sending a police car to pick her up?” Sam says, following his brother and struggling ex-girlfriend down the stairs. 

“Yeah. Said to consider it a wedding gift,” Dean says, with a smirk. “A bitch-free ceremony.”

When they hit the bottom of the stairs, Dean pulls Ruby to the front door while Sam grabs his shoes from the hallway closet. He shoves them on as fast as he can and hopes that Ruby will be collected quickly. Time is ticking by. Ellen must be clutching her clipboard and gnashing her teeth by now.

“Come on, Sam!” Dean hollers from the porch. “You don’t want to miss this!”

Sam anxiously smooths down his hair again and then rushes out of the front door. Dean is standing on the front lawn, watching Ruby being put in the back of a police car, with a huge grin on his face.

“You were right,” Sam says, as the young officer slams the rear door shut on Ruby’s grim face. “I wouldn’t have wanted to miss that.”

“Daddy Warbucks will probably bail her out again,” Dean says, with a hint of irritation. “but as long as she spends the rest of today in lock up that’s fine by me.”

Sam shrugs. He'd never actually been present for any of Ruby's arrests before and to be honest, the fact that her father will bail her out of trouble again leaves a sour taste in his mouth. But he can deal with that tomorrow.

“Come on, Sam,” Dean says, tugging on his jacket sleeve. “Time to go get married.”

 

***

 

They make it just in time. Dean drives like a maniac again but this time Sam doesn’t complain (and he only cusses once when Dean makes a sharp right hand turn and he gets smacked into the right side door.)

Ellen is waiting outside the gallery, still clutching her clipboard.

“Where have you been?” she hisses. “Gabriel is freaking out!”

“Shit,” Sam says, trying to smooth down his hair again. It doesn’t really need it but he’s not sure what else to do with his hands.

“We’ll explain later,” Dean says. “Or Jody will. It’s a long story.”

“Ok, now just get,” Ellen says, urging them through the door. “Down the corridor and the door on your right. Sarah will tell you where to go.”

They follow the corridor and find Sarah peering anxiously out of a side door. Her eyes widen when she catches sight of them.

“What happened to you, guys?” she asks, worriedly. Dean slips past her through the door but Sam stops for a hug, feeling calmer from the familiar smell of her perfume.

“Ruby happened,” he says, when he’s got his nerves under control and pulls away.

“Ruby?” Sarah says, clearly shocked. “But how…”

“That’s what I’d like to know to,” Sam says grimly. “But later. Is Gabriel ok?”

“Not gonna lie, Sammy, your groom was getting antsier the later it got,” Sarah says, with a shrug. “Would it have killed you to answer your phone?”

“Shit,” Sam says. It’s still in his pocket. He fishes it out and stares at the screen. Twelve missed calls. Well, that’s not good.

“I must have not heard it in my pocket and Dean was busy calling Jody for a cop to come get Ruby. Sorry.”

Jo sticks her head through the door and starts when she sees Sam.

“Hi, Sam. Where have you been? I had to give Gabriel my emergency snickers. Also, mom says we’re ready for you to come through now.”

“Oh great,“ Sarah says sarcastically, as they follow Jo through the door into a small side room. “Give him sugar.”

“I had to,” Jo says, grumpily. “He was driving me insane. The caramel glued his teeth shut for at least five minutes.”

A door at the end of the room opens and Sam can hear soft music playing and low chatter from the other side. The ceremony must be starting.

“Ok, we’re ready for you,” Ellen says, smiling. Her clipboard is gone and she gestures her daughter and Sarah through first. Sam waits while the bridesmaids hurry to their places.

“Nervous, kiddo?” Ellen asks, out of the corner of her mouth.

“A little,” Sam confesses. This moment feels like he’s been waiting for it forever. He’s not sure what to do now it’s here.

“You won’t be once you get up there,” she says knowingly, and smiles as she pushes Sam through the door.

She’s right. When he sees Gabriel, waiting by Chuck and his brothers, nervous and handsome in a tux, Sam isn’t nervous at all.

 

***

 

That’s it then. They’re married.

Sam is staring at the gold ring on Gabriel’s finger and thinking that it looks just like his eyes.

‘I’m married, Jess,’ he thinks. ‘Married. Are you proud of me?’

Gabriel is laughing at something and Sam beams at how beautiful he looks. Christ, that’s his husband. 

“Sam!” Jo darts out of the crowd, grinning. She looks very pretty in her purple bridesmaids’ dress, hair a sleek blonde curtain. “Congratulations!”

“Thanks,” he says, pulling her in for a hug.

“People are going to get moving soon, for the party. Mads texted me just now. Everything’s ready.”

“Even the band?” Sam asks.

“The band, the decorations, every last one of the stupid fancy gourmet appetisers that Gabriel wanted,” she says happily. “You’ve made it, Sam.”

“Yeah. Wasn’t easy,” Sam says, with a sigh. The wedding aside, not all of his and Gabriel’s relationship had been easy. But they were together now.

“Come on,” Jo says, tugging on his arm. “Dean’s waiting. Time to go party.”

 

***

 

The reception is amazing. The brilliant white marquee houses the bar, the dance floor and tables for when dinner is served by Maggie and her scarily organised team. There are lights and balloons and enough glitter than Sam knows he will be shaking it out of his hair for days.

Sam sips at his champagne and watches as Jo gracefully swings by with Bobby (who is not particularly graceful and also seems to be led by Jo.)

“Hello, Moose,” says a voice to his right. Sam looks at his husband’s boss and frowns slightly.

“Should you be ordering another drink?” he asks doubtfully but Crowley merely shrugs.

“Open bar, isn’t it?”

“Yes,” Sam says. “But that doesn’t mean you should.” Crowley raises an eyebrow as he sips.

“Do you say that to Gabriel when he wants another bakewell tart?”

“Good point,” Sam concedes. But to be fair, it’s very hard to get Gabriel to have self-restraint when he wants something. Gabriel deciding he wanted Sam was partly how they got here, after all.

“Sam!” Sarah twirls off the dance floor to tug on Sam’s arm. “Come dance!”

Sam lets her pull on his arm and out into the crowd of people. The band are actually pretty good (despite how completely…eccentric its’ band members are) so the dance floor is pretty full. The tables around the outside are occupied only by people like Sam’s grandparents, who are happy enough to watch.

Shortly, he and Gabriel will have their first dance, before dinner will be served. But for now everyone’s happy to have a few drinks and enjoy the party.

“So how does it feel?” Sarah asks, speaking up to be heard over the music.

“What?” Sam asks, concentrating on not accidentally putting all his 6’4 bulk onto Sarah’s tiny feet.

“Being married?” Sarah says.

“I don’t know,” Sam says honestly. “It kind of feels the same.”

“Yeah, I remember stepping out of my wedding and thinking that,” Sarah says. “Kind of like sex. You do it for the first time and think that everything should be different.”

“It’s a bit odd to think of Gabriel as my husband though. My husband. You know? It’s not like I ever thought we’d never actually get here but…”

“But after all this time and all you’ve been through, it’s a bit strange that you’ve made it?” Sarah finishes his sentence, like she’s always been doing.

“Yeah,” Sam says. Two years ago seems like a whole other lifetime. Gabriel was little more than a cute stranger at a party.

“Well done, Sam,” Sarah says, tugging him down by the lapels so she can kiss him on the cheek.

“Are you kissing my man, woman?” says a mock-outraged voice. Gabriel is standing behind Sam with his hands on his hips.

“Shouldn’t leave him alone then,” Sarah says, with a wink. She drops Sam’s hands and nudges him round to face Gabriel.

“Believe me, I don’t intend to again,” Gabriel says, eyes like caramel that stare straight through Sam. Sam steps forward and pulls Gabriel to him. This is their first dance and there should probably be some sort of fanfare with this…but he prefers it this way, just quietly swaying amongst their family and friends.

“Hi, hubbie,” Gabriel says softly, wrapping an arm around Sam’s waist and resting the other on Sam’s back.

“Hi, yourself,” Sam says, and then they don’t speak again until Maggie comes to announce dinner.

 

***

 

Several hours later, Sam is eating a chocolate covered strawberry and watching Becky try to explain the concept of fanfiction to his grandmother.

“Sam?” and he looks up to see Cas wearing his trench coat over his wedding suit and a silver streamer tied around his wrist.

“You’re going already?” Sam asks in surprise. “But we haven’t even got to the cake or the toasts yet!”

“I know,” Cas says regretfully. “But I’m afraid that I have to catch an earlier flight than expected. I am needed back at work a day early.”

“Yeah, that’s understandable,” Sam says. “I’m glad you were able to make it for the wedding. You’ve been such a help.”

“I wouldn’t have missed it,” Cas says with a small smile. “I’m very proud of my brother, no matter what mistakes he thinks he’s made. He’s made a career for himself, become a fine man and chosen you for a partner. Our parents would be stunned, had they lived to see this.”

Sam almost wishes they had lived to see this, just to rub it in their faces that Gabriel was not the waste of space they’d thought he was. But that would be petty.

“I’m proud of him too. Prouder if he’d stop leaving skittles everywhere, but still. Do you need a lift anywhere?” Sam asks.

“Thank you, but no. I’m taking Gabriel’s car back to your house to collect my things and then I have a cab coming to take me to the airport. Have you seen Gabriel and Alfie? I would like to say goodbye.”

“I saw them by the bar,” Sarah interrupts, from where she’d been standing nearby, talking to some of the dentists from Sam’s practice. “I’ll go get them for you, Cas.”

“Thank you, Sarah,” Cas says, and her dark hair vanishes between the milling guests.

“I hope to see you soon, Cas,” Sam says.

“As do I,” Cas says. “What I said earlier, about relocating…today has made me realise that I belong here. With family, and a fresh start.”

“That’s great!” Sam says. “If you need any help with anything…”

“Of course. I appreciate that,” Cas says and then nearly vanishes from sight as Gabriel jumps on him.

“Bro!” Gabriel wails. “You’re going already? Who’s going to make your best man toast?”

“Alfie is capable of doing it in my stead,” Cas says calmly, gently prying Gabriel off him. “I wrote it all down.” Cas carefully pulls several note cards from his jacket pocket and hands them to Alfie.

“You didn’t make any jokes in that toast, did you?” Gabriel asks suspiciously. “Because I know what you’re like with jokes. You’re really not the smutty joke type, Castiel, and the last place I need for you to try it is at my…”

He’s cut off by a loud cough to their right. Dean is hovering there, looking for all the world like he’d want nothing more than to bolt.

“What’s up, buttmunch?” Gabriel asks cheerfully.

“I just…” Dean’s freckles are growing more pronounced as his face steadily grows pinker.

“Did we run out of pie?” Gabriel asks and for Pete’s sake, is Gabriel that clueless? Sam’s pretty certain that Crowley, from over by the bar and on his fifth drink, can see the way Cas and Dean are staring at each other.

“No, I actually had something I wanted to ask Cas,” Dean says. Cas freezes at these words and Gabriel looks gobsmacked.

“Cas?” Dean asks hesitantly, and Christ, he actually looks nervous.

“Yes, Dean?” Cas says, somewhat stiffly.

“So, I…” Dean swallows and Sam notices with some amusement that Dean’s ears have gone bright red. “I was wondering if I could maybe…have your number?”

Gabriel squeaks loudly and then shoves his hand into his mouth when Sam glares at him.

“My number?” Cas asks, looking dumbfounded.

“Yeah, you know to call you and stuff,” Dean says, his eyes never leaving Castiel’s face, although Dean seems to be getting redder and redder under Castiel’s piercing blue eyes.

“You want to call me?” Cas asks.

“Yeah. I mean, if you don’t mind,” Dean says, looking hopeful.

“No,” Castiel says. “I don’t mind. I’d like that.” He looks a bit shell-shocked at this turn of events so Sam helps out by handing him a napkin and a pen that Alfie produces out of nowhere. Dean waits anxiously as Castiel scrawls down his name and number on the shiny silver napkins that Ellen had insisted on.

“I’ll expect a call from you then, shall I?” Cas says, recapping the pen and handing the napkin to Dean. Their fingers linger when it’s passed over and Sam thinks that phone sex might be a priority early on, if their relationship is long distance to begin with. Hell, Castiel’s relocation date might just get moved up.

“Yeah,” Dean says, somewhat breathlessly. “Yeah, I’ll call you soon.”

Castiel smiles and Dean dumbly grins back. It’s only when Alfie discreetly coughs that they stop staring at each other. Gabriel makes a not so discreet gagging noise.

“Gabriel, Sam. Thanks again for inviting me. I hope to be seeing you both quite soon,” Castiel says, moving to hug Sam and then his brothers. Gabriel clings to his brother briefly.

“Come back soon, bro. Maybe come back with some better taste in men?” he suggests and Sam has to elbow his new husband in the ribs. Castiel only smiles at Dean, all crinkly eyes and longing, before leaving the marquee. Dean watches him until the trench coat flickers out of sight.

“Wow,” Dean says and then stares at the napkin in his hand. “Dude, he gave me his phone number.”

“I can’t believe he gave you his phone number!” Gabriel howls, once Castiel is out of earshot. The tables nearest to them look up to see who is making such a noise before seeing that it’s Gabriel and turning back to their dessert. “That’s disgusting!”

“Gabriel, you’re causing a scene,” Alfie says but Sam is too busy laughing to care and Gabriel’s too traumatised to listen.

“Ugh, it’s practically incest,” Gabriel moans.

“Welcome to my world,” Dean says, carefully tucking the napkin into his jacket pocket. “Not so nice when someone’s into your younger brother, is it?”

“This is horrible. Just horrible. Where’s the cake? I need to die from death by frosting,” Gabriel says, heading off in the direction of the head table.

“We have to cut the cake together!” Sam calls after him but Gabriel doesn’t stop.

“Aren’t you going to stop him?” Alfie asks.

“No,” Sam says. “The cake’s still being guarded by Maggie in the kitchen. It’s fine. He’ll eat a few éclairs. And if he does die from death by frosting, Crowley will just bring him back from the grave and make him review it.”

Alfie shrugs and wanders off. Sam turns to his brother, who’s still got an air of shocked happiness about him.

“You sure about this, Dean?” he asks. “I mean, I was expecting you guys to have frustrated sexual tension sex in the coat cupboard, not this.” Dean rubs the back of his neck sheepishly.

“Yeah, well, that would have been good too,” he says, with a usual Dean smirk. “But Cas is…you know. Interesting.”

“Interesting,” Sam repeats.

“And hot,” Dean adds, after thinking about it. “Really hot. I mean, at first I didn’t think that I could be attracted to anyone related to Gabriel. Even if Ellen is determined to kidnap Alfie, he’s just a kid, but Cas…”

Sam wrinkles his nose as his brother’s expression.

“That’s my brother-in-law. Please don’t,” Sam says. But before Dean came make a snarky comeback they’re interrupted by loud screaming coming from the house.

“What the hell?” Dean asks, sharing a confused look with Sam. They rush out of the marquee, followed by about half the wedding party to see what’s going on outside. The garden is silent but the noise continues from inside the house.

“Maggie?” Sam calls, bounding up the porch steps and through the back door, followed by Jody, Mary, Ellen, Dean and a few guests.

“Maggie, are you alright?” Sam asks again, when he makes it to the kitchen. But when he pushes open the door, it’s not Maggie who’s screaming,

“What the…?” Dean says, until he pushes past Sam. “Oh, it’s you again.”

Ruby’s glare could curdle milk, but as she’s currently covered from head to toe in varying food items, it’s not all that terrifying.

“How did she get in here?” Mary demands.

“Don’t know,” Maggie says calmly. She must be a witch or something because as messy as Ruby is, Maggie has somehow stayed impeccable. She’s brushing crumbs off her apron, as if she hasn’t just smothered another woman in puff pastry and cheese sauce.

“But she did try to ruin my cake,” Maggie says, gesturing at the towering four tier, vanilla sponge and chocolate ganache cake that Gabriel had dithered about for weeks. It has espresso infused buttercream and a cascade of sugar roses and silver butterflies and is quite frankly, a monstrosity that at any other time would make Sam worried for his teeth, if Gabriel hadn’t been so in love with it. It must have taken hours to make and just as long to assemble all the tiers and decoration.

It was a miracle Maggie didn’t beat Ruby with a rolling pin.

“Didn't get very far,” Jody remarks, noticing that the cake doesn’t have so much as a sugar rose out of place. Maggie doesn’t beam but she looks as if she could have at this remark.

“Well, no. I stopped her,” she says, grimly.

“Did you grab her by the hair?” Dean interjects. “All that swishy, long hair…pretty easy to get a hold of.” Ruby’s eyes narrow to slits.

“I think I should take her down to the station this time,” Jody says. “And actually lock her in a cell. Jesus, how did she get out last time?”

“Picked a lock, climbed a window, bartered for what soul she has, take your pick,” Sam says dryly.

“Maybe we should clean her off first,” Mary says, looking worried at the frosting dripping out of Ruby’s hair.

“Maybe we shouldn’t,” says Jo, from behind her mother.

“Get the hose,” adds Dean.

“What’s happening?” someone asks from down the hall and Sam tenses up. Shit. He doesn’t want Gabriel involved in this.

“Sam?” Gabriel asks, as people slide out of the way to let him through. Jo throws Sam a sympathetic look as Gabriel steps into the kitchen and sees the mess his husband’s former girlfriend has made.

There’s silence as Gabriel and Ruby stare each other down.

“Well, everything suddenly makes a whole lot more sense,” he says finally.

“Gabriel, I'm sorry,” Sam says in a rush. Gabriel turns to him, confused.

“Why? How is any of this your fault?” he asks.

Jody clears her throat before Sam can spill his guts on his mother’s kitchen floor.

“Um, maybe we should sort this little mess out first?” she says, gesturing needlessly towards Ruby. “Then we can give you guys some space to talk.”

“Yes, I think the less attention we draw to this the better,” Mary agrees.

“I do not care as long as this bitch gets out of my kitchen,” Maggie says, fussing over the cake. Gabriel’s eyes have lit up as he takes in the confection.

“Is that our cake?” he asks, sounding a little bit like he’s fallen in love again.

“Yes,” Sam says. “But, Gabriel…” His mother places a hand on his arm.

“Maybe you should go upstairs quickly to talk,” Mary suggests. “We can handle things down here. Go talk and then when you come back down we can bring out the cake.”

“Sure,” Sam says gratefully. He glances back once at Ruby before following Gabriel out into the hallway and up the stairs.

“Okay, Sam,” Gabriel says, once they’ve shut the door to Sam’s old bedroom. “What’s going on?”

Sam takes a deep breath and talks. He tells him everything from Sarah’s suspicions that the wedding was being deliberately sabotaged to Ruby’s ambush of him at Dean’s house. He doesn’t stop talking until it’s all out, every word of it, and when he’s done he’s not sure if he feels better or worse for Gabriel knowing.

“I was going to tell you after today,” Sam says softly. “I didn’t want her to ruin our wedding more than she already had.”

Gabriel sighs heavily and rubs a hand across his face. He looks old again and Sam immediately feels guilty for giving Gabriel that look today.

“It’s ok. She didn’t ruin our wedding. Somehow it turned out better than I thought it would. But you absolutely promise that you would have told me all this tomorrow? Everything?”

“Of course,” Sam says in surprise. “You’re my husband, Gabriel. I don’t want to keep things from you.”

Gabriel comes forward to wrap his arms around Sam. Sam reciprocates, relishing in the warmth of Gabriel’s body. He smells a bit like chocolate and cologne and there’s silver glitter in his hair.

“I wish she hadn’t kissed you though. There’s an image I do not need,” Gabriel mutters.

“You’re not the only one,” Sam replies, burying his nose in Gabriel’s soft hair and praying he doesn’t inhale the glitter. “I’m not sure why she thought that was a good idea.”

“To manipulate you, perhaps? Hell, maybe she thought you still found her attractive,” Gabriel says, wrinkling his nose.

Sam stifles a snort at Gabriel’s face before bending down to kiss Gabriel’s nose.

“I think she was doing what she usually does. Causing destruction. It was never that she wanted me back. I just think she didn’t want anyone else to have me.”

“Mmm,” Gabriel agrees. “For the record, I’m sorry too.”

“What for? Oh.”

“Yeah, I kind of bumped into her at the coffee shop and…rubbed it in her face,” Gabriel says sheepishly. “Not that it wasn’t fun and satisfying and I’d totally do it again…”

Sam hides a smile. So maybe some of what Ruby said what true. Gabriel had his flaws. Sometimes he was childish and petty. Maybe they both had biting tongues and flashing eyes and flaring tempers. But the difference is, that’s all there is of Ruby. 

“I love you,” Sam says and he knows he’s going to mean it for the rest of his life.

“I love you too,” Gabriel says. “Now can we have cake?”

 

***

 

Sam has to admit, the cake is pretty awesome. Gabriel is on his third slice.

“I’m having a pretty icky insight into your sex life, Sammy,” Dean says, looking vaguely scandalised as Gabriel moans around another bite.

“No, I think he’s more into the cake,” Sam says dryly. Gabriel stares at him, slowly dragging his tongue across his bottom lip.

“Well, we can judge after tonight, what do you say?” he says in a low voice and Dean mimes gagging onto his empty plate.

“Your slice vanished pretty quickly too, Dean,” Sam says, changing the subject. He needs to move away from images of Gabriel in their bed at home, stretched out and slicked up, with a golden ring on his finger.

“Yeah, well, I guess it was pretty good cake,” Dean mumbles and drags a finger around his plate.

“Damn straight it is,” Gabriel says, eyes shut as he puts the last forkful in his mouth. “Oh my God. Do you think…?”

“No more, Gabriel,” Sam says. “I don’t want to have to roll you home.”

“You said you loved my pooch!” Gabriel says, pretending to look affronted. “I distinctly remember. You kissed it. And other places a bit further south…”

“Oh, I am so done!” Dean says, throwing his napkin onto the table. “This is revenge for the Cas thing, isn’t it?”

“If you fuck it up, no one will ever find you,” Gabriel says in a voice that may have sounded cheerful, but at the same time suggested that he was completely serious.

Dean actually looks worried. “Do you think I’ll fuck it up? Hey, Sam? Sam!”

There’s the sound of a fork being tapped against a glass before Sam can answer. John has stood up, and continues to rap on the glass until everyone is silent.

“I think we had better do toasts while everyone is in a stupor,” John says dryly and there’s a ripple of laughter around the marquee. Maggie is sitting at a table next to Madison, sipping champagne and looking smug. As she should; the plates around her have nearly been licked clean.

John’s speech is to the point, swiftly thanking everyone who had helped and welcoming Gabriel and his brothers to the family (Sam wonders slightly if John brought that up specifically, from the way their dad looked pointedly at Dean.) Jo briefly stands up on behalf of the bridesmaids to make a few jokes and wish them a happy marriage. Alfie says Castiel’s speech, looking terrified the entire time. Finally, Ellen and Mary both struggle to make it through their speeches because they’re both crying. 

Mary sniffles her way through the story of how they bought this house, before Sam was even born, and then takes a tissue Grandma Deanna offers her.

“Um. So I think I should stop here before I tell any embarrassing baby stories that Sam will later kill me for,” she says, smiling. “But sweetheart, I love you and we’re so proud of you. Gabriel has felt like part of the family since you first brought him home and we’re so happy it’s official now.”

“And now, I think my other son, Dean would like to say a word. Dean?”

Dean drops his napkin onto his plate and stands. He looks out at the crowded marquee and clears his throat. The assembled audience probably can’t tell but Sam knows he’s nervous.

“So, a bit over two years ago, I took my kid brother to an office party. He’d just had a bad break up and it’s my duty as his big brother to get him plastered.” There’s another wave of laughter, which seems to encourage Dean somewhat.

“I met Gabriel my first day working at Anarchy. I went over to his desk to complain because I couldn’t concentrate with some guy singing Taylor Swift at top volume.” There’s more giggling but Dean ignores it, turning to face Sam instead.

“Sammy, you are the smartest, bravest, best person I know. But you’ve also been dealt some shitty hands in this life and endured so much more than anyone ever should have to. And I know I complain and bicker with Gabriel and call you a girl, but in all honesty, this is where you’re meant to be. Who you’re meant to be with,” Dean says, gesturing to a dumbstruck Gabriel. “He is the best thing for you. He’s made you alive again. And for a really long time, we weren’t sure if that was a thing we’d ever see. But this is the happiest I’ve seen you since you were seventeen and I know you two are going to have a great life together.”

Sam stands up and pulls his brother into a crushing hug. There’s more than a few sniffles around the marquee.

Dean hugs him back with equal fervour. Finally they part and Dean picks up his glass.

“To Sam and Gabriel,” he says.

Everyone raises their glasses, with a quiet ‘To Sam and Gabriel’ and drinks. Sam’s pretty sure Mary’s still sobbing into a spare napkin.

“All right there, munchkin?” Dean asks casually. The familiar insult seems to snap Gabriel out of it.

“Does this mean you won’t complain if I hide pieces of banana in your desk drawers anymore?”

“That was you?!” Dean says furiously.

“Could we not?” Sam asks, reaching for Gabriel’s hand. They both look sheepish and Sam grins. He loves them both so much.

“You can go back to your weird friendship when we get back from our honeymoon,” he says. “But for now, I want to dance with my husband.” Gabriel smirks as Sam tugs him up and out onto the dance floor. People part way for them so they can be right in the centre, in front of the band.

“So, are you really ok with the whole Dean and Cas thing?” Sam asks as soon as they’ve set up a comfortable swaying motion.

Gabriel scrunches up his nose. “Not sure. On one hand I know Dean is a really good guy. But on the other…”

“Committed relationships aren’t really his thing,” Sam finishes. “But Gabe…when we met you were immature and hurt from Kali leaving you and only looking for sex. And I was a relationship mess. I hadn’t been in a long term relationship since Jess. I think that maybe if you give them a chance, they might surprise you.”

“I guess I could give Dean the benefit of the doubt,” Gabriel says, sighing heavily. “But I was serious before. He fucks this up, I’m baking your brother into a pie.”

“I actually think that’s Dean’s preferred way to go,” Sam says, with a grin.

“Then I’ll bake him into a cake instead,” Gabriel says and Sam has to stifle a laugh.

“He’ll haunt you forever if you do that.”

“Ew,” Gabriel says, pulling a face. “Dean hanging around me for eternity? No thank you.”

They dance silently for a while. Most of their guests are on the dance floor now and Sam occasionally sees someone he loves twirl by. Gabriel’s hands tighten a fraction around his back and in turn, Sam pulls him closer. When they kiss Gabriel tastes like cake and champagne and Sam knows he won’t ever forget this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So....this is late. My bad? Life was truly awful there for a while so my previous estimation of May as a posting date got pushed way back. 
> 
> But I hope this was worth it. It's been three years since I started this (wow, my work ethic is crap.) I hope the next story in this verse won't be as long to arrive.
> 
> So far I have a Destiel planned and a Ruby oneshot. Also considering a story of how Sam and Gabriel met, if you guys would be interested in that.
> 
> But thanks very much for your support! I hope you guys have enjoyed it.


End file.
